SOME  REMINISCENCES  OF 


BISHOP  WILLIAMS 


FOURTH  BISHOP  OF  CONNECTICUT 


BORN  AUGUST  30,  1817 — DIED  FEBRUARY  7,  1899 


By  CHARLES  E.  JACKSON 


TOGETHER    WITH    SOME    LETTERS    FROM    THE    BISHOP    FROM    GREAT 

BRITAIN,    WRITTEN    IN    1884,    AT   THE   TIME   OF 

THE    SEABURY    CENTENNIAL 


1915 


SOME  REMINISCENCES  OF 


BISHOP  WILLIAMS 


FOURTH  BISHOP  OF  CONNECTICUT 


BORN  AUGUST  30,  1817— DIED  FEBRUARY  7,   1899 


By  CHARLES  E.  JACKSON 


TOGETHER    WITH    SOME    LETTERS    FROM    THE    BISHOP    FROM    GREAT 

BRITAIN,    WRITTEN    IN    1884,    AT    THE   TIME    OF 

THE    SEABURY    CENTENNIAL 


1915 


Copyright   1915,   by   Charles   E.    Jackson. 


Press    of    Stewart    Printing     Co.,     Mlddletown,     Conn. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 


It  has  always  seemed  unaccountable  to  me  that  so  little  has 
"been  written  in  record  and  remembrance  of  Bishop  Williams. 
Having  so  many  devoted  friends  and  admirers,  both  among  the 
clergy  and  laity,  whose  recollections  must  be  taken  from  many 
standpoints,  one  wonders  why  so  few  have  been  recorded.  He 
was  so  notable  a  personality,  so  great  intellectually,  officially 
so  prominent,  not  only  in  his  own  diocese,  but  throughout  the 
United  States  and  abroad;  so  popular  with  all  classes,  and  so 
universally  recognized  as  one  of  our  greatest  men  by  the  learned 
in  all  professions,  how  does  it  happen  that  some  of  those  whom 
he  educated  and  instructed  with  such  rare  wisdom,  whom  he 
guided  and  helped,  have  not  with  gratitude  and  eloquence  paid 
fitting  tribute  to  so  great  a  character? 

Sixteen  years  ago  he  died,  but,  aside  from  the  tributes  paid 
him  at  his  death,  and  the  worthy  memorial  sermons  by  Bishop 
Doane  and  Dr.  Hart,  no  fitting  words  have  receited  the  story 
of:  his  life,  his  work  and  achievements,  his  great  influence  on  the 
development  of  the  church,  or  told  of  his  strength  of  character, 
his  loving  personality,  his  simplicity  and  dignity,  or  of  the 
wisdom,  tact  and  towering  intellect  that  placed  him  so  far  above 
the  average  in  the  estimate  of  all. 

Add  to  all  this  the  reminiscences  of  his  friends,  his  personal 
interest  in  families  and  individuals,  his  brilliant  wit  and  won- 
derful memory,  his  skill  as  a  "raconteur,"  his  delightful  con- 
versational powers,  his  faithful  friendship  for  young  and  old — 
here  is  a  wealth  of  material  that  would  furnish  pages  of  inter- 
esting reading  for  the  many  lovers  and  admirers  of  so  great  a 
man.  He  was,  as  Bishop  Doane  so  aptly  characterizes  him,  "a 
spiritual  Prince." 

Many  have  asked  me  why  I  did  not  write  my  own  recollec- 
tions of  Bishop  Williams,  because  I  was  so  intimately  connected 
with  him  for  very  many  years,  but  I  have  felt  that  my  pen  was 
utterly  unworthy  of  so  great  a  subject,  and,  if  I  venture  now 
to  do  so.  it  is  with  the  feeling  that  I  cannot  attempt  to  portray 
his  character  or  his  intellectual  abilities,  but  recall  only  some 
of  the  light  and  ordinary  details  of  a  long  and  useful  life.  How- 
ever, as  I  was  from  my  youth  honored  with  his  confidence  and 
affection,  what  I  may  have  to  tell  will  be  largely  personal,  for 
which  I  must  be  pardoned,  as  it  is  all  I  have  to  offer.  Yet  some 
of  it  may  be  interesting  as  showing  how  supremely  he  was 

2012192 


4  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

loved  and  how  closely  he  attached  himself  to  his  people.  After 
his  mother's  death  he  was  a  lonely  man  with  few  near  rela- 
tives, and  therefore  his  affections  were  largely  centered  on  those 
bound  to  him  by  no  ties  of  blood,  but,  nevertheless,  they  were 
deep  and  sincere. 

HIS  IMPRESSIVE  PREACHING. 

Turning  backwards  many  long  years  one  recalls  his  frequent 
preaching  in  old  Christ  Church  on  Broad  Street,  Middletown, 
where  his  sermons  were  a  delight  to  his  hearers;  always  logical, 
clear  as  crystal,  and  in  language  that  a  child  could  comprehend. 
Later,  in  the  new  and  present  edifice — now  Holy  JFrinity — he 
preached,  but  more  infrequently,  because  of  his  increasing  duties, 
not  only  as  Bishop  of  Connecticut  but  as  Presiding  Bishop. 

I  well  remember  on  one  occasion  when  he  seemed  to  be  es- 
pecially impressive  and  earnest  as,  in  his  bishop 's  robes,  he  stood 
towering  majestically  above  his  hearers,  the  idea  of  an  archangel 
flashed  through  my  mind.  He  was  preaching  one  of  his  elo- 
quent sermons,  the  text  taken  from  his  favorite  St.  Paul,  and 
in  conclusion,  he  exclaimed  in  tones  of  deep  humility:  "And  yet 
I  am  ready  to  say  with  St.  Paul,  having  done  all  these  things  I 
am  a  most  miserable  sinner." 

Again,  I  recall  his  officiating  at  a  funeral  on  Indian  Hill  Ceme- 
tery. It  was  a  beautiful  day,  the  sun  setting  in  exquisite  coloring' 
in  the  west,  and  everything  so  quiet  and  peaceful  that  it  seemed 
as  if  we  were  outside  the  busy  world  entirely.  Bishop  Williams 
had  read  the  " committal"  and  then  in  tones  almost  exultant  and 
full  of  belief  and  faith,  raising  himself  to  the  full  height  of  his 
magnificient  manhood  he  pronounced  the  words,  ''I  heard  a 
voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me — write,  'From  henceforth 
blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord' — even  so,  saith  the 
Spirit,  for  they  rest  from  their  labors."* 

I  shall  never  forget  that  occasion,  nor  the  impression  it  made 
on  me,  for  there  was  such  a  note  of  triumph  in  the  tones  of 
his  voice,  as  if  he  were  expressing  his  own  entire  belief  in  his 
own  words,  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  utterly  unconscious 
of  his  surroundings.  Never  have  I  listened  to  a  more  wonder- 


*Note- — The  popular  Captain  West,  an  officer  of  one  of  the  great  steamship  lines, 
told  a  Philadelphia  friend  of  mine  that  during  a  voyage  from  England  to  this  country, 
when  he  was  bringing  over  the  wonderful  Swedish  singer — Jenny  Lind — for,  I  believe, 
her  first  concert  tour,  she  expressed  her  earnest  desire  to  behold  a  sunrise  at  sea.  . 

Accordingly,    one    cloudless    morning    he    had    her    called    at    early    dawn    and    she    stood  -4-*  *• 


by  his  side  on  deck,  silent  and  motionless,  watching  every  change  of  shade  and 
until  the  first  golden  rays  shot  up  from  the  horizon.  As  the  sun  itself  leaped  up 
from  the  waves,  she  burst  into  rapturous  song,  her  deeply  religious  feeling  finding- 
expression  in  the  noble  music  of  Handel's  "Messiah."  No  wonder  that  Captain  West, 
when  describing  the  scene,  should  have  exclaimed :  "No  one  will  ever  hear  "I  Know 
That  My  Redeemer  Liveth'  sung  as  I  heard  it  that  morning." 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  5 

fill  service,  nor  heard  those  inspiring  words  uttered  by  mortal 
lips  in  such  a  striking  and  beautiful  manner.  Had  there  been 
present  unbelievers,  with  hearts  of  stone,  they  must  have  been 
stirred  by  the  comfort  of  the  text  so  exquisitely  rendered. 

On  another  occasion,  an  Easter  Sunday,  a  collection  was 
planned  to  pay  the  parish  floating  debt.  Bishop  Williams  was 
to  preach,  and  before  his  sermon  he  simply  stated  the  purpose 
of  the  collection,  and  it  would  please  him  very  much  personally 
if  the  congregation  would  contribute  sufficient  to  free  the  parish 
from  the  last  of  its  indebtedness.  After  the  service  the  rector, 
or  warden,  received  a  note  from  a  gentleman  present,  not  a 
Communicant,  stating  that  if  the  collection  was  not  sufficient  he 
•\vould  personally  send  his  check  for  any  deficit,  wrhich  he  did, 
amounting  to  about  $1,500,  remarking  afterwards  that  the  bishop 
wanted  the  debt  paid  and  so  he  was  glad  to  do  it  for  his  sake. 

Some  years  ago  when  the  Berkeley  Divinity  School  needed 
funds,  I  told  Bishop  Williams  I  believed,  from  what  had  been 
told  me,  that  Mr.  S.  would  contribute  if  he  asked  him  to  do 
so.  The  bishop  gave  me  a  note  of  introduction  and  I  was 
received  cordially  and  stated  the  object  of  my  call.  He  replied, 
<(I  am  not  a  churchman,  nor  have  I  any  connection  with  the 
Episcopal  Church,  though  my  wife  was  a  communicant,  but 
I  know  Bishop  Williams  and  admire  him,  and  anything  he 
wants  he  ought  to  have.  I  will  give  him  $1,000  now,  and  if 
necessary  you  can  come  to  me  for  more." 

Another  instance,  the  circumstances  of  which  I  am  not  at 
liberty  to  detail,  when  a  very  large  sum  of  money  was  needed 
for  a  specific  purpose,  I  asked  the  bishop  to  write  to  a  gen- 
erous friend,  stating  the  case,  but  it  took  six  month's  persua- 
sion on  my  part  to  get  him  to  do  it,  although  he  constantly 
said  that  he  would.  Finally  the  letter  was  sent  and  the  response 
was  instantaneous  and  the  check  for  $30,000  received  within  a 
week. 

Let  it  not  be  thought  that  Bishop  Williams  did  these  things 
frequently.  On  the  contraary  he  seldom  asked  for  money  by 
personal  appeal,  and  disliked  to  do  so  immensely.  But  when 
he  did  the  result  showed  that  it  was  looked  upon  as  a  privi 
lege  to  do  what  such  a  man  desired,  because  underneath  it  all 
lay  silent  and  unexpressed  deep  love  and  personal  affection 
that  prompted  instant  response. 

MR.    SHEFFIELD'S   GENEROUS   AID. 

Now  that  Mr.  Joseph  E.  Sheffield  of  New  Haven  has  long  passed 
to  his  rest.  I  can  speak  of  the  absolutely  confidential  and  affec- 
tionate relations  between  him  and  Bishop  Williams.  Mr.  Shef- 


6  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

field  regarded  it  as  his  peculiar  privilege  and  happiness  to  aid 
largely  in  sustaining  the  work  of  Bishop  Williams  in  establish- 
ing the  Berkeley  Divinity  School  and  provide  for  its  future- 
endowment,  as  well  as  its  then  present  needs.  For  many  years 
Mr.  Sheffield  contributed  over  $5,000  a  year  out  of  his  private 
purse  in  lieu  of  New  Haven  &  Northampton  dividends,  which 
had  been  suspended  on  stock  which  he  had  given  the  school, 
and  his  generosity  relieved  the  good  bishop  of  many  anxious 
moments. 

In  reference  to  this  I  quote  from  a  confidential  letter  from 
Mr.  Sheffield  to  myself,  written  in  1881,  in  which  he  says : — 

"The  present  investment  is  safe,  and  while  I  am  able  to  sign  a 
check  the  dividends  will  be  regular ;  and  I  feel  warranted  in  say- 
ing they  will  in  time  be  much  larger.  This,  again,  private  and 
confidential,  and  only  for  the  good  bishop  and  yourself.  I  can- 
not but  realize  his  anxiety  for  the  future  income  for  Berkeley 
(indeed  the  present  income)  ;  I  cannot  expect  to  relieve  that 
anxiety,  but,  if  I  can  lessen  it,  I  feel  that  it  is  my  bounden  duty 
to  do  so." 

Once  Bishop  Williams  was  dining  with  Mr.  Sheffield  at  his 
New  Haven  residence  and  Mr.  Sheffield,  who  sat  opposite, 
remarked:  "Bishop,  how  well  you  look.  Who  is  your 
physician?"  And  the  reply  came,  "He  sits  opposite  me,  sir." 
The  bishop  told  me  the  color  rose  in  Mr.  Sheffield's  face  like 
a  girl,  so  overcome  was  he  at  the  deep  feeling  contained  in  the 
good  bishop's  words  and  the  compliment  so  beautifully  expressed. 

EARLY  DAYS  IN  MIDDLETOWN. 

Turning  back  to  life  in  Middletown  in  the  60 's  and  later,  one 
may  remember  frequently  seeing  Bishop  Williams  on  the  street 
and  seldom  alone.  Sometimes  amid  a  groap  of  students  or  walk- 
ing with  two  or  three ;  sometimes  with  the  clergy,  of  whom  many 
were  here — Dr.  Goodwin,  rector  of  the  parish ;  Drs.  Harwood, 
Coit,  Fuller,  de  Koven,  Davies,  Gardiner,  Townsend,  Binney  and 
others;  sometimes  stopping  for  a  chat  at  the  old  rectory  (stand- 
ing on  the  present  site  of  Holy  Trinity  Church)  and  often  meet- 
ing his  lifelong  friends  of  the  lay  families — Alsop,  Johnson, 
Casey,  Jackson,  Russell,  Glover,  Hackstaff,  Hubbard,  Pelton  and 
many  others.  Always  a  smile,  a  pleasant  word,  and  a  hand- 
shake, and  whether  he  met  Jew  or  Gentile,  Catholic  or  Protes- 
tant, all  knew  Bishop  Williams  and  called  him  friend. 

In  the  earlier  days  of  the  school,  when  the  learned  and  genial 
Dr.  Thomas  W.  Coit  lived  in  Troy,  he  would  come  in  the  spring- 
and  autumn  to  lecture  to  the  students,  and  it  was  remarked  by 
some  witty  person  that  we  could  always  expect  Dr.  Coit,  Con- 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  7 

necticut  River  shad  and  Barnum's  circus  at  the  same  time  every 
spring.  The  bishop's  house  was  always  a  center,  and  its  hos- 
pitality generous  and  abundant.  During  the  days  at  home  you 
would  find  him  in  his  library  working,  writing  or  reading,  and 
in  the  evening  during  his  mother's  life,  and  afterwards,  sitting 
in  a  rocking  chair  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  parlor  smoking 
his  cigar  and  reading  or  chatting. 

AVhen  the  first  company  of  volunteers,  in  1861,  left  for  the 
seat  of  war  I  well  remember  it  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  bishop 's 
house  to  receive  a  flag  made  by  the  women  of  Middletown  and 
presented  in  eloquent  words  by  the  bishop.  He  was  loyal  to 
the  core  to  that  flag  and  all  through  those  weary  years  of  strife 
his  voice  was  heard  for  the  Union. 

LITTLE  GIVEN  TO  "SOCIETY." 

He  never  went  much  into  society,  though  often  a  welcome  and 
much  desired  guest  at  the  dinner  parties  so  frequent  then  in  the 
town.  But  his  devotion  to  his  mother  was  so  dutiful  and  so 
beautiful  that  he  found  his  chief  relaxation  in  her  society.  After 
her  death  Miss  Tibbs,  an  elderly  lady  who  had  always  lived  in 
his  family,  kept  house  for  him ;  later,  when  her  health  failed,  his 
cousin.  Mrs.  Field,  looked  after  his  household  until  his  death.  I 
recall  years  ago  a  trustees'  meeting  at  his  house,  interrupted  by 
the  luncheon  hour,  when  we  adjourned,  to  the  dining  room. 
The  bishop,  eating  but  little  himself,  entertained  us  by  tell- 
ing some  dialect  stories  of  the  wittiest  character,  and  in 
inimitable  manner,  so  that  our  grave  and  reverend  board 
was  so  convulsed  with  laughter,  that  we  could  scarcely  eat. 
No  professional  actor  could  have  excelled  him  in  accent,  pro- 
nunciation and  gesture,  and  as  one  story  followed  another  we 
enjoyed  a  treat  rarely  experienced. 

Wherever  he  happened  to  be,  whether  in  church,  society  or 
meeting  of  any  sort,  he  was  instantly  accorded  the  first  place, 
and  was  the  center  of  attraction.  There  was  absolutely  no 
question  as  to  his  precedence,  and  it  seemed  to  be  taken  for 
granted  that  it  belonged  to  him ;  and  I  may  add,  not  so  much  on 
account  of  his  office  as  because  of  his  acknowledged  strength 
and  superiority  intellectually.  Yet  he  never  assumed  this 
superiority  by  right  of  position,  or  his  unusual  gifts.  In  fact, 
his  attitude  of  mind  was  humble  and  not  assertive,  and 
he  was  easy  of  approach  by  all.  No  artificial  cloak  of  dignity 
was  needed  to  remind  one  that  he  was  a  bishop,  and  a  great 
man.  He  did  not  hedge  himself  about  with  any  barriers  of 
pride,  or  intolerance ;  yet  I  never  saw  a  man  who  dared  to  take 

advantage  of  his  friendship  or  simplicity  of  manner.       I  have 


8  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

met  in  traveling  far  and  wide,  in  business  and  socially,  many 
young  and  old  who  knew  Bishop  Williams,  and  the  fact  of  our 
mutual  acquaintance  seemed  at  once  to  create  a  common  bond 
that  put  me  on  a  friendly  basis  that  was  unique.  This  experi- 
ence covers,  of  course,  the  bishops  of  our  church,  and  the 
clergy,  as  well  as  a  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United 
States,  statesmen,  professional  and  business  men,  down  to  the 
humblest  of  the  land. 


"JOHN  WILL  NEVER  FORGIVE  HIMSELF." 

In  1894,  before  going  abroad,  I  asked  the  bishop  if  he  would 
give  me  some  letters  of  introduction.  Calling  for  them,  he 
said  he  had  concluded  to  give  me  one  letter  which,  if  presented 
to  any  English  cleric,  would  insure  me  attention  and  civility,  and 
especially  in  Scotland  he  was  sure  would  give  me  the  "entree" 
to  anything,  or  any  place  I  wished  to  visit.  He  instructed  me 
when  I  visited  Lambeth  Palace  to  send  the  letter  with  my 
card  to  the  archbishop's  secretary,  and,  as  he  expressed  it,  "You 
will  be  shown  everything  any  American  layman  ever  sees,  and 
probably  some  things  they  never  see." 

When  I  called  I  asked  for  the  porter  (as  the  bell  was  answered 
by  a  middle-aged  woman)  and  was  told  he  was  not  in  the  palace, 
1  then  gave  her  the  letter  and  my  card  for  delivery  to  the 
secretary,  and  when  the  woman  returned  she  said  the  secre- 
tary had  directed  her  to  guide  me  through  the  palace.  She  then 
explained  that  she  was  the  wife  of  the  porter,  who  was  absent 
on  his  two  weeks'  holiday,  and  added:  "Are  you  from  Bishop 
Williams  of  the  United  States?"  And  when  I  assented  she  said: 
"Ah,  John  will  never  forgive  himself  for  being  absent  when 
any  one  from  Bishop  Williams  comes  here,  or  any  friend  of  his." 
This  she  kept  repeating  as  we  journeyed  through  the  palace, 
showing  me  every  room  and  thing  of  interest  she  could  think  of, 
and  finally  we  reached  the  Lollard's  Tower,  where  she  said 
Bishop  Williams  would  come  often  to  smoke  his  cigar,  and 
where  I  think  "John"  sometimes  accompanied  him  for  a  chat. 

I  parted  from  my  faithful  guide,  leaving  her  still  repeating 
her  tearful  regrets  that  John  should  be  away  when  any  friend 
of  Bishop  Williams  called.  Evidently  when  he  went  to  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  in  1884  he  had  made  devoted  friends  of  the 
old  porter  and  his  wife.  Such  is  an  illustration  of  the  character 
of  Bishop  Williams,  who  won  the  respect  and  love  of  the  lowly, 
equally  with  the  friendship  of  the  great.  The  circular  letter 
of  introduction  I  have  in  my  possession  and  shall  always  keep  as 
a  valued  memento. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  9 

Returning  home,  I  immediately  called  on  Bishop  Williams, 
finding  him  seated  in  the  corner  of  his  library  reading  and 
wearing  the  familiar  purple  dressing  gown.  He  rose  and  came 
forward,  putting  a  hand  on  each  shoulder  and  kissing  me  on 
each  cheek,  saying,  "Well,  I'm  glad  to  see  you  home  again. 
I've  felt  like  an  old  cat  that  had  lost  its  kitten."  Such  a 
welcome,  from  such  a  man,  I  have  always  considered  as  one 
of  the  events  of  my  life  to  be  most  proud  of. 

HIS  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN  IN  1884. 

Perhaps  no  event  of  his  life  gave  him  more  real  enjoyment 
than  his  visit  to  Great  Britain  in  1884  to  participate  in  the 
Seabury  Centenary,  and  the  account  of  this  together  with  the 
services  in  Connecticut,  were  published  in  1887.  In  acknowl- 
edging the  presentation  of  the  staff  by  the  Bishop  of  Aberdeen, 
Bishop  Williams  said: — 

"There  are  times  and  things  concerning  which  words  utterly 
fail,  and  must  fail,  to  give  utterance  to  the  feelings  of  the 
heart,  and  this  let  me  say,  is  one  of  those  times — a  day  that  I 
can  never  forget,  a  day  for  which,  though  most  unworthy  of 
what  has  been  given  me,  I  must  always  feel  the  devoutest 
thankfulness  to  Almighty  God." 

I  would  like  to  quote  the  whole  page,  for  what  he  said  is 
contained  within  that  space.  It  breathes  thankfulness,  humil- 
ity and  happiness  of  spirit,  and  the  prayer  that  the  bond  between 
the  Scottish  and  American  churches  will,  be  maintained  in  the 
years  to  come.  It  is  all  so  characteristic  of  the  man — simple, 
thankful  and  eloquent. 

Some  of  his  letters  from  abroad  (copies  of  which  I  have  through 
the  kindness  of  the  Misses  Beach  of  West  Hartford)  are,  of  course, 
very  interesting,  with  many  little  sparkles  of  humor,  and  often 
sentiment,  when  he  encloses  a  leaf,  a  flower,  or  a  bit  of  heather, 
with  a  little  story  accompanying  it,  of  association  with  some- 
body or  some  thing. 

Surely,  the  church  made  a  wise  choice  in  selecting  Bishop 
Williams  to  represent  it  at  the  Seabury  Centenary.  Physically 
and  intellectually  he  made  a  deep  impression,  and  so  noble  a 
presence,  so  eloquent  a  preacher,  and  so  well  informed,  a  scholar 
was  indeed  a  delegate  of  which  America  might  well  be  proud. 

But  with  all  the  honors  and  hospitality  so  abundantly  show- 
ered upon  him,  it  is  evident  through  all  his  letters  that  he 
turned  with  almost  homesick  longing  to  his  own  people  and  his 
own  home — counting  the  days  before  sailing  and  arriving  in 
Middletown,  much  as  a  schoolboy  might  count  the  weeks  and 
days  before  his  home-coming. 


10  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

THE  POWER  OF  IMAGINATION. 

So  many  of  the  stories  and  witticisms  of  Bishop  Williams 
have  been  published  that  there  is  danger  of  repetition,  but  a  few 
will  not  come  amiss  -as  showing  the  lighter  side  of  his  character. 
In  his  visitations  he  suffered  many  inconveniences  and  discom- 
forts, though  he  never  complained,  and  probably  a  strong, 
inherited  constitution  many  times  saved  him  from  serious  con- 
sequences. He  would  speak  of  the  "spare  room  beds"  with 
horror,  and  in  getting  in  between  sheets  that  were  so  damp  and 
cold,  on  beds  which  perhaps  had  not  been  slept  in  since  his 
last  visitation,  and,  as  he  expressed  it — "it  was  like  getting  in 
between  cakes  of  ice." 

When  my  father  heard  of  this  he  gave  the  bishop  two  flannel 
gowns,  which  ever  afterwards  accompanied  him  when  traveling, 
and  which  he  said  "saved  his  life."  But  it  was  not  only 
cold  that  he  experienced,  but  sometimes  too  much  heat.  Once 
in  winter  he  was  shown  to  his  room,  where  a  base-burning  stove 
was  glowing  red  hot,  and  a  feather  bed  was  the  only  mattress. 
Before  retiring  he  tried  to  open  a  window,  but  they  were  not 
only  nailed  down,  or  fastened,  or  protected  by  double  windows 
so  no  air  could  be  admitted,  but  the  crevices  had  cotton  glued 
over  them.  He  tried  to  sleep,  but  could  not,  and  finally  told 
his  secretary  to  get  up,  take  the  hair  brush  and  break  a  pane 
in  the  window.  He  did  so,  and  presently  there  was  a  crash  of 
breaking  glass  and  the  bishop  said:  "Ah,  now  I  can  breathe  "- 
and  calmly  wTent  to  sleep.  In  the  morning  the  only  broken 
pane  of  glass  visible  was  in  the  bookcase.  Such  is  the  power 
of  imagination  even  on  the  greatest  intellects! 

COOKED  HIS  OWN  VICTUALS. 

Arriving  late  one  afternoon  in  a  village  where  he  was  to 
preach  in  the  evening  he  found  his  hostess  in  a  flutter  for  fear 
that  in  cooking  the  supper  for  the  bishop  and  then  getting  ready 
for  church  she  would  miss  part  of  the  service.  So  the  bishop 
told  her  simply  to  put  things  on  the  table  and  while  she  was 
dressing  he  would  cook  his  eggs  himself — which  he  did.  After- 
wards, in  walking  to  the  church  with  the  rector,  he  listened  to 
his  hostess  dilating  to  a  crony  of  hers  on  the  bishop's  accom- 
plishments— what  a  wonderful  man  he  was,  and  ending  up  by 
saying,  "And  would  you  believe  it,  the  critter  cooked  his  own 
victuals."  How  few  men  would  have  shown  such  thoughtful- 
ness  and  consideration  and  won  the  gratitude  of  this  poor  woman 
by  helping  her  out  of  her  dilemna  in  the  way  he  did. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  11 


This  portrait  of  Bishop  Williams  is  one  of  about  twenty  taken  in  1893,  through 
the  generous  and  thoughtful  interposition  of  Miss  Edith  Kingsbury  of  Waterbury,  who 
enlisted  the  aid  of  Mr.  H.  St.  Gaudens  to  pose  the  Bishop.  Miss  Kingsbury  gave  a 
complete  set  of  these  photographs  to  the  Berkeley  Divinity  School  and  they  are  now 
in  the  Williams  Library.  Posterity  will  be  grateful  to  her  for  preserving  so  good  a 
likness  of  the  great  Bishop. 


12  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

Another  time  he  met  a  most  inquisitive  Yankee  who  pelted 
him  with  questions  as  to  his  business,  occupation,  etc.,  and 
finally  after  the  bishop  had  evaded  his  inquiries  for  some  time 
the  man  remarked,  "You  must  be  a  kind  of  traveling  agent," 
and  the  bishop  brought  the  interview  to  a  close  "by  allowing 
that  he  was." 


WHEN  HE  WAS  TIPPED. 

Bishop  Williams  spent  many  summers  at  Lake  George  and 
knew  every  foot  of  the  surrounding  country,  with  all  its  points 
of  historic  interest.  He  would  fish  on  the  lake  much  of  the 
time  and  during  the  day  wear  old  clothes  and  a  soft  hat  that 
must  have  somewhat  transformed  him.  He  was  met  on  one 
occasion  by  a  rather  pretentious  tourist  with  his  family,  who 
were  inspecting  one  of  the  old  forts,  and  was  addressed  as  "My 
man,  can  you  tell  us?"  etc.  To  which  the  bishop  responded 
hy  guiding  them  about  the  place  and  made  himself  so  useful 
and  interesting  in  describing  the  historic  points  that  his  tourist 
friend  thanked  him  and  presented  him  with  a  half  dollar,  which 
the  bishop  pocketed  with  much  enjoyment  of  the  situation. 
Imagine  the  surprise  and  confusion  of  the  prelate's  benefactor, 
when  seated  at  dinner  at  the  hotel  that  evening,  to  see  the 
dining  room  door  opened,  his  "guide"  appear  in  full  clerical 
attire,  accompanied  by  friends,  and  conducted  with  great  res- 
pect by  the  head  waiter  to  his  table.  If  the  earth  had  yawned 
at  that  moment  our  tourist  friend  would  have  welcomed  that 
method  of  escape  to  conceal  his  deep  embarrassment. 

During  the  Civil  War  a  friend  of  Bishop  Williamn  )aid  to 
him:  "You  know  a  tax  on  bachelors  is  contemplated,  and  I 
have  figured  that,  at  your  age,  you  will  have  to  pay  about  $250 
a  year."  "Well,"  says  the  good  old  bishop  with  a  twinkle 
in  his  eye,  and  as  quick  as  a  flash,  "it's  worth  it." 


HIS  CORRESPONDENCE. 

As  I  entered  his  library  one  day  he  was  just  in  the  act  of 
tearing  up  a  letter  to  drop  in  his  waste  basket,  and  seeing  me, 
he  said:  "I  want  to  read  you  a  letter  from  Wilmer"  and  added, 
on  seeing  a  look  of  doubt  on  my  face  of  whom  he  was  speaking. 
"Why,  you  know  who  I  mean — the  Bishop  of  Alabama."  Then, 
proceeding,  he  explained  before  reading  the  letter  that  at  a 
general  convention  some  years  previously  the  then  Bishop  of 
Fond  du  Lac  Hong  since  dead)  had  proposed  a  resolution  that 
no  candidate  for  holy  orders  should  be  allowed  to  use  tobacco 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  13- 

during  the  three  years  they  were  studying.  After  it  was 
debated  and  defeated  Bishop  'Williams  asked  that  all  mention  of 
the  matter  be  expunged  from  the  record,  for  the  reason  that, 
if  known,  it  might  be  said  that  the  church  was  not  in  favor  of 
temperance.  This  was  done.  Then  the  bishop  read  me  the 
letter,  as  follows,  viz : — 

By  the  way,  what's  become  of  Fond  du  Lac  and  his  motion? 
It's  evident  he  is  not  "fond  du  Bac."  What  did  he  propose 
as  a  "quid  pro  quo"  or  rather  a  "pro  quo  Quid?" 

And  so  the  letter  ran  on,  witty  and  bright,  and  ended  in  the 
waste  basket,  where,  in  fact,  all  Bishop  Williams 's  correspon- 
dence went,  greatly  to  the  loss  of  succeeding  generations,  no 
doubt.  I  may  add  that  he  explicitly  directed  his  executors 
(Kev.  John  Townsend  and  myself)  to  destroy  every  letter,  ser- 
mon, etc.,  that  we  might  find  among  his  effects,  but  for  this 
injunction  there  was  slight  necessity,  as  he  jhad  effectively 
attended  to  it  himself. 

We  have  all  heard  of  his  witty  "bon  mots"  about  the  Puritans, 
who  "when  they  landed  fell  on  their  knees  and  then  on  the 
Aborigines,"  and  that  it  was  always  a  question  "whether,  when 
the  Puritans  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  it  might  not  have  been 
better  if  Plymouth  Rock  had  landed  on  them."  I  am  told  of 
others  who  claimed  the  authorship,  but  it  belongs  to  our  Bishop 
WTilliams. 

Bishop  Williams  was  thin  and  spare,  and  for  so  large  a  man 
he  seemed  to  eat  very  little.  An  English  bishop,  calling  on 
him,  asked  why  he  did  not  adopt  the  English  dress  of  his  rank 
and  order — knee  breeches  and  silk  stockings.  "Because,"" 
answered  Bishop  Williams,  "if  I  did  I  would  be  arrested."  "And 
why,"  asked  his  friend  with  some  astonishment.  "For  want 
of  means  of  visible  support,"  wras  the  quick  reply.  And  pos- 
sibly the  Englishman  today,  if  living  does  not  appreciate  the  wit- 
ticism. 

Showing  the  feeling  towards  the  Episcopal  Church  after  the 
Revolution,  Bishop  Williams  used  to  say  it  was  then  looked  upon 
as  one  large  piece  of  baggage  left  behind  by  the  British  when 
they  evacuated  this  country.  The  bishop  told  me  that  there 
was  a  little  Jew  tailor  in  Mobile  whom  Bishop  Wilmer  employed, 
and  one  day  he  said  his  son  Jakey  would  not  believe  the  stories 
in  the  Old  Testament,  and  particularly  that  the  whale  ever 
could  have  swallowed  Jonah.  "What  shall  I  tell  him,  bishop?" 
the  father  anxiously  inquired.  "Oh,"  said  Bishop  Wilmer 
promptly,  "tell  him  Jonah  was  one  of  the  minor  prophets." 

In  all  my  many  years  of  the  closest  relations  with  Bishop 
Williams,  only  once  did  I  see  him  show  the  least  indication  of 
temper,  and  that  was  after  he  had  nominated  a  man  for  rector 


14  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

of  a  large  parish,  whom  the  vestry  did  not  elect,  but  asked  me 
to  request  the  bishop  to  name  some  one  else:  I  did  so,  and  he 
turned  to  me  with  some  severity  and  said :  ' '  Did  I  not  nominate 
Rev.  Mr. —  -  and  the  vestry  refused  to  elect  him?"  To 
which  I  assented.  "Very  well,"  he  said,  "if  the  vestry  does 
not  approve  of  my  nomination  made  at  their  request,  I  have 
no  other  name  to  suggest,  and  you  may  tell  them  that  I  said 
so."  It  was  evident  that  he  considered  the  action  taken  a 
reflection  upon  his  own  good  judgement,  after  the  careful  con- 
sideration he  must  have  given  in  making  the  nomination. 


From    a    rare    pen    and    ink    sketch    made    by    a    Divinity    Student. 

The  frankness  of  his  disposition  is  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing incident :  Many  years  ago  when  the  confirmation  or  elec- 
tion of  a  certain  bishop  by  the  requisite  number  of  dioceses  was 
in  doubt,  a  very  prominent  layman,  interested  in  the  outcome, 
knowing,  though  a  stranger,  of  my  intimacy  with  Bishop  Wil- 
liams, wrote  me  a  long  letter  explaining  the  circumstances  and 
asked  me  to  ascertain,  without  mentioning  his  name,  what  the 
prospects  were.  I  confess  I  was  puzzled  to  know  what  to  do, 
because  Bishop  Williams  must  know  that  I  had  no  connection 
with  the  matter,  and  I  did  not  like  to  use  my  free  access  to  him 
to  obtain  confidential  information  of  this  character  or  to  dis- 
close the  name  of  my  correspondent.  So  I  just  went  to  him 
and  told  him  the  facts,  without,  of  course  mentioning  from 
whom  my  inquiry  came,  and  said  he  must  judge  whether  to 
give  me  the  situation  or  not.  He  appreciated  my  dilemma, 
and  with  the  utmost  kindness  told  me  that  in  his  judgement 
the  election  would  be  confirmed,  but  that  what  he  said  must  go 
no  further  than  myself  and  my  correspondent,  and  his  name 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  15 

must  not  be  mentioned.  Thus  with  simplicity  and  directness 
he  solved  the  question  that  bothered  me  and  satisfied  those 
deeply  interested. 

Illustrating  his  affection  for  old  methods,  and  his  dislike  of 
changes  in  his  administration  in  his  later  years,  at  one  time  the 
addition  of  laymen  to  the  standing  committee  was  agitated  in 
the  convention.  Afterwards  in  discussing  it  with  the  bishop 
I  asked  him  to  tell  me  frankly  what  he  desired  done,  if  any- 
thing. "Well,"  said  he,  "I'll  tell  you.  Just  leave  things  as 
they  are  until  I  am  gone  and  then  you  can  do  as  you  think 
test." 


"TIM'S"    INTERRUPTION. 

Many  years  ago  we  had  a  faithful  old  janitor  named  "Tim" 
at  the  Divinity  School,  who  always  implicitly  did  what  he  was 
told  to  do,  without  regard  to  circumstances  or  conditions.  It 
happened  that  Miss  Tibbs,  who  kept  house  for  Bishop  Williams 
Avanted  a  glass  of  wine  for  her  kitchen,  and  the  bishop  had  the 
keys,  of  the  sideboard  and  he  was  out.  Miss  Tibbs  had  for- 
gotten that  he  was  holding  service  in  the  chapel,  so  she  directed 
Tim  to  find  the  bishop  and  get  the  keys.  Tim  walked  straight 
into  the  chapel  where  the  epistle  for  the  day  had  just  been 
read  and  addressed  the  bishop  with  "Please  bishop,  Miss  Tibbs 
wants  the  keys."  Without  a  moment's  hesitation  the  bishop 
replied,  "You  go  and  tell  Miss  Tibbs  she  cannot  have  the  keys 
just  now,"  and  proceeded — "the  Holy  Gospel  is  written,"  etc. 
Thus  with  dignity  and  perfect  self-possession  did  he  dispose  of 
an  astounding  interruption. 

"BENJAMIN'S   MESS." 

As  a  presiding  officer  he  was  most  efficient  and  clear.  In 
some  meeting,  or  convention,  a  man  proposed  some  resolution 
so  involved  in  its  wording  that  its  meaning  was  very  doubtful. 
Bishop  Williams,  catching  the  idea,  put  it  into  words  which 
gave  its  intent  clearly  and  concisely.  "Is  that  what  you  mean?" 
he  asked,  and  received  rather  a  stammering  though  grateful 
assent,  to  which  the  indignant  bishop  responded  under  his 
breath,  "Why  didn't  you  say  so  then?" 

And  it  was  also  said  that  a  like  occurrence  took  place  once 
in  the  House  of  Bishops,  when  some  involved  resolution  was 
offered  which  the  chair  and  house  could  not  comprehend.  Sev- 
eral bishops  strove  to  elucidate  it.  and  finally  Bishop  Benjamin 
Paddock  arose  and  gave  an  explanation,  asking  Bishop  Wil- 


16  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

liams  what  he  thought  of  it,  and  the  chair  instantly  replied: 
"That  Benjamin's  mess  was  ten  times  greater  than  the  others." 
No  one  knows  better  than  the  graduates  of  Berkeley  how  big 
a  heart  he  had  or  how  affectionately  he  looked  upon  them  as 
part  of  his  family.  I  remember  one  instance  of  a  young  man 
studying  at  Berkeley  whose  home  was  in  the  far  North,  and 
it  was  winter.  He  told  the  bishop  that  his  mother  was  very  ill, 
and  he  replied  that  he  ought  to  go  home  and  see  her.  The 
young  man  said  he  could  not  afford  it  and  Bishop  Williams 
immediately  handed  him  .sufficient  for  his  journey.  Next  day 
the  bishop  found  him  still  at  the  school  and  asked  why  he  had 
not  started.  After  some  conversation  he  ascertained  that  the 
student  had  no  warm  overcoat.  Then  the  bishop  handed  him 
a  check  to  purchase  one  and  sent  him  to  his  mother  rejoicing. 
No  doubt  this  is  only  an  example  of  numberless  instances  where 
his  fatherly  love  and  thoughtfulness  brightened  the  life  of  many 
a  young  man  worried  and  perplexed  by  financial  questions. 

WHAT  HE  DID  FOR  BERKELEY. 

As  to  what  he  did  for  Berkeley  I  quote  from  a  paper  read 
before  the  Church  Club  of  Connecticut  May  23,  1901,  at  a  meet- 
ing commemorating  the  200th  anniversary  for  the  propagation 
of  the  Gospel  in  foreign  parts  (pages  22-23)  : — 

"No  history  of  Berkeley  would  be  complete  without  personal 
reference  to  our  great  and  lamented  Bishop  John  Williams,  and 
his  connection  with  the  school  as  founder,  creator,  sustainer, 
and  of  his  loving  care  as  teacher.  No  eloquence  can  do  him 
justice,  or  portray  the  noble  character  of  the  man,  and  rare  is 
the  life  and  career  which  has  commanded  more  truly  the  loving 
affection  and  true  devotion  of  his  friends,  than  was  his  happy 
and  deserved  good  fortune ;  and  yet,  with  all  his  great  gifts,  his 
humility  of  character  was  most  striking.  He  gave  to  Berkeley 
all  he  had,  freely.  He  never  received  one  cent  of  compensation, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  said  just  before  his  death  that  he  had  con- 
tributed from  his  private  purse,  for  over  forty  years,  at  least 
$1,000  a  year  to  its  support  and  to  aid  the  young  men  studying 
there,  and  at  his  death  he  left  his  property  to  help  endow  it. 
To  say  nothing  of  his  incomparable  teaching,  guidance  and  influ- 
ence, bis  money  gifts  must  have  amounted  to  $75,000  at  the 
very  least.  It  is  impossible  to  estimate  in  words,  or  Imagina- 
tion, the  influence  this  great  man  has  had  through  the  length  an^ 
breadth  of  the  land,  partly  by  reason  of  his  work  in  the  Berke- 
ley Divinity  School.  Such  a  mind,  such  a  personality,  such  a 
loving  interest  in  the  young  men  under  his  care,  could  not  fail 
to  reach  far  and  wide,  as  they  scattered  through  this  great  coun- 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  17 

try;  and  everywhere  one  meets  those  who  turn  with  the  ten- 
derest  interest  to  their  days  at  Berkeley,  when  Bishop  Williams 
led,  taught  and  inspired  them  to  work  for  the  church. 

And  in  conclusion  let  me  speak  a  word  as  to  the  future  of 
Berkeley.  I  am  sure  that  this  school,  established  so  solidly 
and  so  long,  having  achieved  such  great  results,  with  such  a 
successful  past,  is  not  now  to  become  a  nonentity  and  a  failure, 
nor  cease  to  add  its  share  of  workers  to  the  church  at  large.  It 
Avould  be  a  reflection  on  the  soundness  of  Bishop  Williams' 
forty-five  years  of  work  to  suppose  that  the  usefulness  of  the 
institution  ended  with  his  life.  Many  feared  such  a  fate  would 
befall  St.  Paul's  School  of  Concord,  when  Dr.  Henry  A.  Coit 
died — one  of  the  greatest  teachers  ever  known — but  today  St. 
Paul's  stands  as  a  living  successful  example  that  men's  work 
lives  after  them.  So  I  believe  it  will  be  with  the  Berkeley 
Divinity  School.  The  shock  was  a  severe  one,  but  it  has  been 
mot  and  overcome,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the  diocese  to  see  that 
the  great  work  of  so  grand  and  farsighted  a  man,  should  con- 
tinue as  one  of  the  monuments  of  his  life,  his  wisdom  and  his 
sagacity.  He  expected  it  to  last,  and  made  every  effort  to 
put  it  on  a  firm  foundation,  so  that  it  should  remain  forever 
located  as  it  is,  which  was  his  most  ardent  wish." 

It  gives  me  the  most  intense  satisfaction  and  happiness  to  say 
that  the  expectations  and  hopes  expressed  above  as  to  the 
future  of  the  Berkeley  Divinity  School  are  being  realized  and 
that  the  foresight  and  wisdom  of  Bishop  "Williams  have  been 
justified.  It  has  a  strong  faculty;  it  is  fairly  prosperous  and 
doing  a  great  and  good  work;  its  friends  and  alumni  are  stand- 
ing  by  it,  and  it  is  contributing  to  the  church  a  very  large  per- 
centage of  its  most  prominent  and  forceful  leaders  in  the  house 
of  bishops  and  among  the  clergy. 

Bishop  Williams  desired  and  planned  that  the  Berkeley  Divin- 
ity School  should  always  remain  in  Middletown  where  he  had 
located  it.  Years  ago  it  was  brought  to  his  attention  by  the 
heirs  of  Edward  S.  Hall,  who  had  given  the  original  building 
(now  called  Jarvis  building)  to  the  trustees,  that  the  intent  of 
the  donor  was  that  the  property  should  revert  to  him  or  his 
family  if  ever  the  school  were  removed,  and  that  this  condition 
had  been  omitted  in  the  deed.  Bishop  Williams  took  steps  to 
have  this  omission  corrected  by  the  trustees  and  after  we  had 
signed  the  necessary  papers  he  turned  to  me  with  the  remark: 
"That  settles  the  future  of  the  Divinity  School.  It  will  remain 
here."  Other  evidence  of  his  earnest  desire  in  this  regard 
exists  of  record,  and  no  doubt  had  great  influence  with  the 
trustees  a  few  years  ago  when  the  question  of  removal  to  New 
Haven  was  agitated. 


18  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

In  1897,  when  Bishop  Brewster  was  elected  assistant  bishop, 
the  Rev.  Henry  M.  Sherman,  Rev.  F.  W.  Harriman,  Hon,  F.  J. 
Kingsbury  and  the  writer  were  appointed  a  committee  to  con- 
vey to  Bishop  Williams  official  notice  from  the  convention  of 
its  choice.  All  met  at  the  bishop's  residence  and  were  ushered 
into  his  bedroom  and  delivered  our  message  and  then  Dr.  Harri- 
man asked  him  to  give  us  his  blessing,  and,  kneeling  at  his  bed- 
side we  received  it.  His  voice  was  strong  and  unshaken  and  it 
was  most  solemn  and  touching  in  its  tone,  as  if  he  was  taking 
farewell  of  the  diocese,  his  work  and  ministrations. 


HIS  CAPACITY  FOR  WORK. 

We  often  listen  to  stories  of  the  travels  by  buckboard  and 
horseback  of  our  western  bishops  and  missionaries,  and,  while 
it  is  true  they  covered  longer  distances,  it  is  also  true  that  Bishop 
Williams  in  his  visitations  covered  hundreds  of  miles  in  daylight 
and  darkness,  in  storm  and  sunshine,  by  stage  or  carriage. 
Many  old-time  liverymen  throughout  Connecticut  could  tell 
interesting  tales  of  these  long  trips  and  how  pleased  and  honored 
they  were  to  have  so  distinguished  a  task  as  safely  conveying 
the  bishop  to  his  destination  in  time  for  his  appointment.  This 
was  before  the  days  of  many  railroads,  of  Sunday  trains,  of 
trolleys  and  automobiles,  and  many  parishes  were  far  apart, 
and  yet  combined  in  one  Sunday's  visitation,  morning,  after- 
noon and  evening  in  succession.  It  seems  incredible  now  that 
such  a  duty  was  performed  without  great  weariness  and  injury 
to  health,  but  there  was  never  a  complaint  from  him,  in  spite 
of  his  growing  years. 

Though  many  years  have  passed  since  Bishop  Williams 's 
active  days,  the  recollections  of  the  man  linger  fondly  and  affec- 
tionately in  the  hearts  and  memories  of  those  who  knew  him. 
Especially  in  the  country  parishes  do  the  people  like  to  talk  of 
him  and  of  the  days  of  his  visitations  (which  were  always  red 
letter  days  in  their  calendar)  when  he  took  them  by  the  hand 
and  called  them  each  by  name,  and  how  the  eye  kindles  and 
the  voice  trembles  as  they  tell  of  their  reminiscences,  and  how 
dearly  they  loved  him  and  looked  upon  him,  as  indeed  he  was, 
a  father  of  the  church  and  of  his  people. 

He  had,  undoubtedly,  an  unusually  strong  constitution,  and 
his  capacity  for  work  both  mental  and  physical  was  marvelous. 
He  possessed  a  wonderful  memory  and  the  power  of  concentra- 
tion of  mind,  and  while  he  never  hesitated  for  a  word  to  express 
his  meaning,  he  wasted  none  in  utterance  or  writing.  I  have 
often  watched  him  work  at  his  desk  and  it  was  marvelous  how 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  19 

.steadily  he  applied  himself  and  how  his  pen  ran  on  over  the 
paper  with  hardly  a  stop.  In  short,  he  was  a  master  of  the 
English  language  and  appreciated  the  gift  in  others. 

His  correspondence  was  large,  in  this  country  and  abroad, 
and  it  will  never  be  known  how  many  turned  to  him  for  advice 
and  counsel.  He  mentioned  this  once  to  me  and  said  many 
came  to  him  who  ought  to  have  gone  to  their  own  bishop  for 
guidance  and  to  whom  he  felt  obliged  to  refer  them.  It  shows 
his  enduring  influence  on  those  he  taught  that  they  should  turn 
to  him  in  time  of  trouble  and  need. 

Speaking  of  his  young  men  in  the  Divinity  School,  he  said 
he  impressed  on  them  this  simple  rule,  viz: — "First,  have  some- 
thing to  say;  second,  say  it,  and  third,  stop."  Needless  to  say 
it  is  a  rule  that  might  embrace  many  other  classes  than  the  one 
devoted  to  sermon  writing,  and  yet  in  modern  education  and 
composition  it  is  a  maxim  rarely  observed. 

On  one  occasion  I  remarked  that  I  would  like  to  establish 
a  chair  of  English  literature  and  composition  in  the  Divinity 
School  had  I  the  means,  and  he  answered  that  the  students  were 
supposed  to  be  proficient  in  those  subjects  before  entering.  To 
which  I  replied  that  it  was  true,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  few 
were,  to  which  he  assented  fully.  Would  that  some  one  in 
affectionate  remembrance  of  the  great  founder  of  Berkeley,  and 
interested  in  the  work  of  the  school  and  the  efficient  equipment 
of  young  men  for  the  ministry,  might  be  moved  to  endow  such 
a  professorship. 

I  think,  perhaps,  the  first  early  communion  service  in  Middle- 
town  was  held  in  the  room  of  the  Jar  vis  building  set  aside  as  a 
chapel  by  Bishop  Williams  when  he  lived  there.  It  was  a  long, 
narrow  room,  located  directly  over  the  front  entrance,  and  there 
the  services  were  held  up  to  the  time  Mrs.  Mutter  built  and 
gave  St.  Luke's  Chapel  to  Berkeley.  Well  do  I  remember, 
some  time  in  the  50 's,  before  I  was  confirmed,  I  drove  my 
"two  oldest  sisters  into  town  from  Walnut  Grove,  where  we  were 
then  living,  to  attend  the  early  Easter  service  in  this  chapel, 
which.  I  think,  was  held  at  6  :30 — the  bishop  himself  officiating. 

Christmas  Day  the  bishop  must  have  been  very  lonelv  after 
his  mother's  death,  but  he  made  a  great  deal  of  it.  and  the  two 
following  notes  show  how  the  Christmas  season  fully  possessed 
him : — 

December  26,   1888. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  G. — : 

Let  me  thank  you  earnestly,  for  your  beautiful  holly  branch.       It  joins 
Christmas  cheer  to  the  parlor,  and  Christmas  thoughts  to  the  soul. 
The   berry  red,    the  blood   outshed ; 
The  leaves  so  green,  the  rainbow  seen, 
Like  emeralds  round  the  throne ; 


20  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

The  joys  unseen,  except  in  hope, 
Which  in  the  far  off  future  ope, 
Then  only  fully  known. 
With  all  good  Christmas  wishes   for  you  all. 

Most  truly  yours, 

J.   Williams. 

My  Dear   Mrs.  G. — : 

Many  thanks  for  the  beautiful  holly  which  makes  my  only  Christmas 
green  this  year.  But  it  is  quite  enough,  for  nothing  else  belongs  to 
Christmas  as  it  does. 

I  send  you  on  the  opposite  page,  a  "Song  of  the  Holly,"  which  I  did 
not  write  myself,  though  I  wish  I  had. 

With  best  wishes  of  the  season  for  the  household,  I  am, 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  Williams. 
•December  29,   1890. 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  HOLLY- 

The  holly  oh,  the  holly ! 

Green  leaf  and  berry  red, 
Is  the  plant  that  thrives  in  winter 

When   all  the  rest  are  dead ; 
When  snows  are  on  the  ground, 

And  the  skies  are  grey  and  drear, 
The  holly  comes   at  Christmas-tide, 

And   brings   the   Christmas   cheer, 

Sing  the   Mistletoe,   the   Ivy, 

And  the  Holly-bush,   so  gay, 
That  come  to  us  in  winter, 

No  summer  friends  are  they ! 

Give  me  the  sturdy  friendship 

That  will  ever  loyal  hold. 
And  give  me  the  hardy  Holly 

That  dares  the  winters  cold ; 
Oh,  the  roses  bloom  in  June, 

When  the   skies   are  bright  and   clear, 
But  the   Holly  comes   at   Christmas-tide, 

The  best  time  o'  the  year. 

Sing   the    Holly   and    the    Ivy, 

And  the  Merry  Mistletoe, 
Which  comes  to  us  in  winter, 

When  the  fields  are  white  with   snow. 

THE  SIMPLICITY  OF  HIS  CHARACTER. 

The  simplicity  of  his  character  needs  no  better  illustration 
than  is  contained  in  his  "Directions  for  My  Executors,"  which 
I  quote  in  part,  dated  in  1886 : — 

No.  i — I  wish  my  burial  to  be  as  inexpensive  and  simple  as  may  be : 
a  plain  pine  coffin ;  no  flowers ;  my  body  not  to  be  arrayed  in  Episcopal 
or  other  robes,  but  in  a  shroud  of  linen ;  as  few  carriages  as  possible ; 
no  outer  shell  to  coffin. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  21 

No.  a. — The  Burial  Service  simply  to  be  read  by  one  person,  to  be 
designated  by  the  president  of  the  standing  committee  of  the  diocese ;  with- 
out any  address  or  sermon :  this  I  distinctly  forbid :  and  with  no  additions 
to  the  Prayer  Book  service  except  a  hymn  after  the  Lesson,  and  the  hymn 
to  be  "Rock  of  Ages"  as  it  stood  in  the  prayer  book  in  years  gone  by. 

No.  3. — I  direct  my  grave  stones  to  be  in  form,  size  and  material,  the 
same  as  those  at  the  grave  of  my  mother.  On  the  headstone  nothing  to 
be  placed  but  my  name,  John  Williams,  and  the  date  of  my  death ;  on 
the  footstone  my  initials — J.  W. 

All  his  property  he  left  to  the  Berkeley  Divinity  School,  giv- 
ing, however,  the  right  to  several  of  the  bishops  and  clergy, 
and  certain  relatives  and  lay  friends,  including  his  executors,  to 
select  from  his  effects  such  memorials  as  they  might  choose — 
"an  act  of  gracious  thoughtfulness, "  as  Bishop  Doane  puts  it, 
which  made  us  feel  honored  and  happy  that  we  were  so  affec- 
tionately remembered  by  so  great  and  good  a  man. 

I  cannot  close  this  article  better  than  by  quoting  from  Bishop 
Doane 's  eloquent  and  loving  tribute  to  Bishop  "Williams,  con- 
tained in  his  Connecticut  convention  sermon  in  1899: — 

And  now  I  turn  from  the  personal  associations  which  live  in  his 
delightful  letters,  and  in  the  deep  places  of  my  memory,  to  speak  to  you 
about  his  gifts.  I  cannot  but  think  that  there  is  some  strong  and  subtle  con- 
nection between  the  outer  and  inner  man :  that  sometimes,  at  least,  the 
rrould  in  which  Almighty  God  casts  a  piece  of  Himself,  has  in  it  an  indi- 
cation of  what  man  is  meant  to  be.  and  to  do. 

This,  is  quite  be,side  what  everybody  knows,  that  there  is  a  faint  parable 
here  of  what  the  spiritual  man  is  to  be  when  the  soul  shall  clothe  itself 
with  its  own  body  to  suit  its  own  capacities,  for  their  untrammelled  expres- 
sion in  the  day  of  regeneration.  There  is  a  strong  suggestion  of  this  in 
the  way  in  which  in  almost  all  men,  the  spiritual  nature  fashions  and  illu- 
mines, the  outer  man,  until  it  speaks  its  strong  emotions  in  the  transfigured 
face. 

And  no  one  could  see  the  gift  of  natural  manhood  of  Bishop  William? 
without  the  sense  of  dignity,  and  power  nnd  will,  and  intellect,  that  were 
stamped  upon  it.  He  was  a  spiritual  prince,  from  the  great  dome  of  his 
head  in  every  lineament  of  his  face,  his  keen  eye,  his  firm  lips,  his  strong 
chin,  his  over-arching  brow,  his  finely  moulded  nose  ,his  commanding 
presence,  his  firm  tread. 

He  was  a  man  men  turned  to  look  at.  and  stayed  to  look  up  to,  not 
for  his  height  in  inches,  but  for  the  exaltation  of  his  bearing. 

The  exquisite  tribute  of  Bishop  Doane  to  our  great  Bishop 
"Williams  leaves  but  little  for  the  pen  of  a  layman,  but  It  is  hard 
to  resist  the  utterances  of  the  heart  on  such  a  theme,  even 
though  it  may  savor  of  repetition. 

Of  all  men  I  ever  knew,  he  possessed  most  fully  that  divine 
gift  of  charity.  Nothing  except  deliberate  wrong,  personal, 
corporate  or  political,  moved  him  to  sarcastic  or  strong  denuncia- 
tion. Considerate  and  patient  of  all.  he  was  an  embodiment 
of  truth  and  equity.  In  parish  disputes  brought  to  him  for 
adjudication  he  listened  to  clergy  and  laity,  and  counseled  both 


22  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

f 

fairly.  He  was  so  great  that  no  prejudice  blinded  him,  and  he 
stood,  as  it  were,  upon  a  mountain  height,  towering  head  and 
shoulders  above  his  surroundings,  and  settling  the  troubles  of 
his  people  with  courage,  and  justice  to  all.  Sometimes  I  fear 
we  did  not  appreciate  him  in  this  respect  as  we  ought  to  have 
done. 

HIS  BURIAL. 

As  the  long  line  of  clergy  followed  him  to  his  burial  I  could 
not  but  notice  how  large  a  majority  had  listened  to  his  teach- 
ings and  been  subject  to  his  fatherly  training  and  interest. 
And  through  them  let  us  hope  that  the  impress  of  his  great 
mind  and  character  may  pass  to  future  generations. 

No  greater  memorial  could  he  leave  than  the  wrork  that  he 
has  accomplished  in  training  men  for  the  ministry.  Those  who 
have  been  under  him  will  appreciate  this,  and  not  only  was  he 
their  teacher  but  their  friend  and  counsellor,  without  whom 
many  would  have  turned  aside  to  other  vocations.  No  one  will 
ever  know  his  benefactions,  for  like  the  dew  from  heaven,  they 
came  silently  and  passed  into  oblivion  when  the  night  of  trouble 
ended. 

At  his  bier  stood  Roman  Catholics  and  all  Protestant  creeds 
— mourning  alike  the  irreparable  loss.  The  bells  of  other 
churches  tolled  his  requiem  in  union  with  ours,  and  both  in  life 
and  death  all  men  loved  and  honored  him. 

One  marked  evidence  of  a  great  mind  was  his,  and  that  was 
his  attention  to  detail.  To  the  very  last  he  retained  this,  and 
seemed  loth  to  surrender  to  others  the  duties  he  had  so  long 
performed.  His  memory  was  marvelous,  and  the  tenderness 
of  his  heart  and  consideration  for  others  abounded  in  his  sick 
chamber  as  strongly  as  when  in  health.  Only  a  few  weeks 
before  his  death  he  dictated  and  signed  a  note  of  encourage- 
ment and  sympathy  to  a  little  boy  who  for  many  weeks  had 
been  critically  ill.  He  took  a  strong  interest  in  public  affairs, 
and  not  long  before  his  death,  and  with  impressive  utterance, 
he  said  to  me:  "From  the  time  we  enter  on  foreign  conquest, 
and  depart  from  the  traditions  of  our  fathers,  from  that  date 
you  may  mark  the  downfall  of  the  republic." 

He  was  indeed  a  great  man,  endowed  with  splendid  gifts  of 
heart  and  intellect,  a  wise  counsellor,  a  just  judge,  who  as  a 
churchman  was  preeminent,  but  who  as  a  statesman,  Jurist,  or 
in  any  other  profession  or  walk  of  life  would  have  been  a 
leader  and  master.  Simple,  humble-minded,  straightforward, 
strong — what  an  example  for  us  all. — 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  23 

Some  of  Bishop  Williams'  Letters  written  from  England  and  Scot- 
land in  the  Summer  of  1884,  from  July  to  October,  to  Miss  Eliza 
Tibbs,  and  Mrs.  R.  W .  Field,  Rev.  Dr-  Thomas  W .  Coit,  Rev.  Dr. 
Francis  T.  Russell  and  Rev.  John  Townsend.  Copies  given  me  by 
Miss  Edith  Beach,  Vine  Hill,  West  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Post-card  from  Chester,  August  i,  1884. 

We  came  here  last  Tuesday  (29th)  and  have  rested  here  since.  The 
Dean  has  been  very  kind  and  showed  us  every  attention. 

We  go  to  London  to-day,  and  I  will  write  at  length  from  there.     All 
well  and  enjoying  the  really  pleasant  weather. 
To-day  is  like  a  Summer  day  at  home. 

Love  to  all. 

J.    W. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

London,  August  3,  1884. 

I  wrote  a  postal  from  Chester  which  I  hope  you  got.  And  now  for 
the  story.  We  found  Liverpool  wet,  dirty,  cold,  and  as  usual  uncom- 
fortable- So  on  Tuesday,  July  2Qth,  we  went  to  Chester.  Here  we 
found  the  Dean  (Howson)  at  home,  and  had  a  cordial  welcome.  We 
went  to  service  in  the  Cathedral,  and  walked  round  the  walls  of  this 
queer  old  town.  On  Wednesday  we  breakfasted  at  the  Deanery,  and  an 
English  breakfast  gathering  is  the  pleasantest  of  all  gatherings,  and  then 
the  Dean  took  us  over  the  Cathedral.  It  is  small,  and  not  very  imposing, 
but  greatly  improved  from  what  it  was  in  1840.  Its  restoration  is  the 
Dean's  great  hobby.  We  also  drove  out  to  Eaton  Hall,  the  Duke  of 
Westminster's  seat,  and  saw  the  magnificent  gardens  covering  sixty-four 
acres,  with  enormous  conservatories,  etc.  But  there  is  little  that  is  inter- 
esting in  these  modern  splendors. 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  a  garden-party  in  the  Dean's  gardens 
where  the  ground  was  soggy  and  damp.  A  garden-party  in  England 
involves  a  strong  exercise  of  faith,  for  if  it  does  not  rain  the  ground  is 
still  damp,  and  one  generally  gets  both.  I  saw  here  a  daughter  of  Arch- 
Bishop  Longley  and  two  delightful  old  Churchwomen,  the  Misses  Wilbra- 
ham — great  friends  of  Keble  and  Miss  Yonge. 

Their  father,  Sir  Richard  Wilbraham,  was  in  Canada  years  ago,  and 
they  were  great  friends  with  Bishop  Mountain  and  his  family. 

On  Thursday  these  good  old  ladies  took  us  to  see  the  "Blue  Post  Inn." 
The  story  written  by  one  of  them  which  I  send,  will  tell  you  why  it  is  so 
interesting.  Please  keep  it  carefully.  The  room  we  saw  is  just  as  it  was 
in  the  days  of  "Bloody  Mary."  It  was  like  reading  a  story  of  Miss  Yonge 
to  talk  to  these  sisters- 

On  Friday  we  came  to  London  making  the  178  miles  in  about  five 
hours  and  seeing  a  good  deal  of  the  garden  like  scenery  as  we  went  along. 
We  travelled  second  class  and  found  it  perfectly  comfortable.  There  is 
a  story  here  that  some  one  asked  a  peer  of  the  nation  why  he  travelled 


24  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

third  class  and  got  for  his  answer  "because  there  is  no  fourth  class."  It 
was  not  so  late  but  what  we  went  to  see  "Westminster  Hall"  with  its 
wonderful  roof. 

On  Saturday  we  went  into  "the  City"  to  see  Mr.  Morgan — whom  we 
did  not  find — and  attend  to  some  other  matters  of  business. 

In  the  afternoon  going  to  the  Abbey  we  did  not  find,  the  Dean  who  was 
out  of  town.  But  we  did  find,  that  the  canon  in  residence  was  Dr.  West- 
cott.  Mr.  Townsend  will  tell  you  what  this  means.  He  went  round  with 
us  showed  us  what  very  few  people  now  see — the  hideous  old  wax  work, 
and  other  things.  It  was  touching  to  see  the  flowers  on  Stanley's  tomb 
and  Longfellow's  bust. 

There  is  a  beautiful  altar-tomb,  with  a  recumbent  figure,  for  Stanley. 
I  found  a  cat  sitting  on  a  bench  under  Andre's  tomb,  very  much  at  home 
and  making  herself  comfortable.  In  the  evening  Nichols  and  I  went  to 
see  Madam  Tussaud's  wax  works ! 

You  can  easily  follow  us  in  Hare's  Walks  in  London.     We  are  unlucky 
as  far  as  people  are  concerned  in  the  time  we  are  here ;  but  luck  in  all 
else.       We   have    a   nice   sitting    room   and   bedrooms    and   are   very   com- 
fortable.      Please  let  this  letter  be  circulated  to  all   friends. 
With  love  to  all, 
Affectionately, 

J.  W. 

I  am  getting  plenty  of  photographs.  The  enclosed  Ivy  is  from  Chester 
Cathedral ;  the  dandelion  from  King  Charles'  Tower. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

London,  August  5,   1884. 

After  I  closed  my  letter  on  Sunday,  we  went  to  St.  Paul's  and  heard 
Liddon. 

Three  or  four  thousand  people  were  under  the  dome  but  we  had  seats 
in  the  choir,  and  heard  him  perfectly.  It  was  a  very  eloquent  and  able 
sermon ;  delivered  with  no  gestures. 

Monday  being  Bank  Holiday  we  did  little  or  nothing  except  that  we 
went  out  to  dine  with  Mr.  Morgan  at  his  country  place,  a  charming  spot, 
where  I  saw  Mr.  Duncan  formerly  of  Canandaigna. 

Yesterday  we  went  over  the  Tower  and  St.  Paul's  Church ;  the  things 
I  wanted  to  see  were  the  Traitor's  Gate ;  the  Bloody  Tower  where  the 
princes  were  murdered,  and  where  Laud  was  confined.  I  put  my  hand 
out  of  the  window  from  which  he  blessed  Lord  Strafford  (the  picture  is  in 
my  study)  !  Beauchamp  Tower  where  so  many  prisoners  were  confined, 
and  where  so  many  names  are  carved ;  the  old  Chapel  of  St.  John — a  beauti- 
iul  specimen  of  Norman,  now  lighted  with  electric  lights  (  !)  and  used  for 
a  Presbyterian  service;  St.  Peter's  Chapel  where  Anne  Boleyn  and  Kath- 
erine  Howard  lie  side  by  side.  We  saw  also  the  crown  jewels  and  the  armory. 

In  the  evening  we  were  taken  by  one  of  the  M.  P's.  to  the  House  of 
Commons  and  heard  Mr.  Gladstone  and  many  others  speak.  To-day 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  25 

Nichols  and  I  are  to  dine  with  Willie  Purdy;  to-morrow  we  go  to  Seven- 
Oaks,  Kent,  to  spend  the  night  at  the  White's ;  Friday  to  Addington  Park 
to  lunch  with  the  Archbishop,  and  so  it  goes.  I  hope  we  shall  have  done 
London  early  next  week  and  get  off  for  the  country.  We  are  all  well, 
but  fairly  tired  out  at  night.  Letters  from  Scotland  show  us  that  we 
shall  need  all  our  strength  there. 

Give  much  love  to  all  friends.  I  must  make  my  letters  circulars  for 
I  cannot  write  more  than  one  for  each  steamer.  I  hope  you  will  get  away 
for  part  of  August. 

Aff.  yrs. 

J.  W. 
Not  a  drop  of  rain  since  we  came  to  London ! 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

London,  August  9,  1884. 

We  are  having  terribly  hot  weather  in  London,  but  we  all  stand  it 
very  well.  Sight  seeing  has  gone  on  in  spite  of  it,  and  we  are  nearly 
through  here. 

On  Thursday,  we  went  down  to  Combe  Bank,  Kent,  where  Mr.  White 
lives,  and  spent  the  night.  It  is  a  charming  place,  and  a  breath  of  fresh 
country  air  was  very  pleasant.  Friday,  I  went  down  to  Addington  Park. 
lunched  and  spent  a  good  part  of  the  day  with  the  Archbishop.  He  is  a 
very  simple,  straight-forward  and  sensible  man.  We  sat,  or  rather  lay, 
on  the  ground  under  the  great  cedars  of  Lebanon  in  the  park,  and  had  a 
long.long  talk  over  Church  matters  here  and  at  home.  I  liked  him  because 
we  fully  agreed  in  our  notions. 

To-day  we  go  out  to  Lambeth  and  also  to  see  St.  Paul's  school  under 
the  guidance  of  Mr.  Lapton. 

I  hope  we  may  get  off  by  Wednesday  for  Canterbury  and  so  work 
round  to  Oxford  and  Cambridge.  Everybody  is  more  than  kind.  I  hope 
we  may  get  off  by  Wednesdaj^. 

Will  you  thank  Dr.  Coit  and  Townsend  for  their  letters.  I  do  not 
write  to  Mr.  T.  by  this  steamer  because  I  suppose  he  is  away. 

But  I  enclose  an  order  for  registered  letters  which  I  hope  you  will 
give  him.  I  will  write  to  Dr.  Coit  soon.  My  love  to  all.  I  leave  it  to 
you  to  report  progress. 

Aff' ty.  yours, 

J.  W. 

To  Mrs.   Field, 

Salisbury  (Should  be  no  doubt  Chichester)    August  17,  1884. 

Your  letter  reached  me  at  Canterbury  yesterday  and  was  a  great  relief. 
From  the  peculiar  wording  of  Mr.  Townsend's  letter  I  was  perfectly  cer- 
tain Miss  Tibbs  was  ill,  and  had  felt  very  anxious.  I  hope  she  will  be 
very  careful,  and  avoid  fatigue.  That  is  the  great  trouble. 

I  have  written  three  letters  to  her  which  with  my  letter  to  Mr.  T. 
will  carry  you  down  to  the  end,  or  nearly  so,  of  our  stay  in  London.  We 


26  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

left  London  on  Thursday  after  a  regular  heated  term,  and  went  to  Can- 
terbury. Here  we  saw  the  Cathedral,  the  finest  on  many  accounts  in  Eng- 
land. St.  Martin's  Church,  the  oldest  Church  in  England,  dating  from 
A.  D.  250,  and  drove  out  to  Bishopsbourne,  where  Richard  Hooker  died. 
Tell  Dr.  Coit  with  my  love  that  I  stood  in  the  pulpit  from  which  Hooker 
preached,  and  laid  my  hand  on  the  altar  at  which  he  consecrated  the 
eucharist. 

I  found  here  Archdeacon  Harrison,  whom  I  knew  in  1840;  we 
lunched  with  him,  and  had  a  delightful  visit-  The  Dean  who  had  asked 
me  to  come  for  a  Sunday  and  preach,  was  away.  Spending  Friday  at 
Canterbury  we  came  on  Saturday  across  country  here.  This  A.  M.  we 
have  been  at  the  Cathedral,  and  after  evening  service  are  to  go  to  the 
Deanery  for  the  evening.  Dear  old  Burgon  is  the  Dean  here,  and  we 
are  to  meet  the  Bishop.  The  Inn  here  is  a  real  old  English  one;  one 
of  the  few  left. 

It  carries  me  back  to  the  old  times  when  I  was  here.  England  is 
much  changed,  and  not,  I  fear,  for  the  better.  The  people  do  not  look 
as  they  used  to,  and  are  careworn  and  discontented. 

To-morrow  we  go  to  Winchester,  and  from  there  to  Salisbury,  where 
I  hope  to  find  the  Bishop.  We  are  fairly  overwhelmed  with  kindness. 
Give  my  love  to  Miss  T.  and  all  friends. 

To-day  fills  one  month  since  I  left  M.  In  a  little  more  than  two  I 
hope  to  be  at  home  again.  Give  me  America  to  live  in. 

Yr.  Aff.  cousin, 

J.  W. 

Do    write    often. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Wells,  August  21,   1884. 

I  was  sorry  and  glad  both  at  reading  Rebecca's  letter ;  sorry  to  hear 
you  had  been  ill  and  glad  to  know  you  were  better.  I  hope  by  this 
time  you  are  quite  well  and  beg  you  to  be  very  careful. 

My  letter  to  Rebecca  brought  us  up  to  last  Sunday  noon.  After 
that  we  went  to  the  Cathedral  at  Chichester  for  evening  service,  and  then 
spent  all  the  rest  of  the  day  and  evening  at  the  Dean's  (Burgon's)  and 
with  the  Bishop  who  was  at  home  and  gave  us  a  very  hearty  welcome. 
He  showed  us  the  palace  and  its  gardens  and  several  people  came  to 
see  us. 

On  Monday  (i8th)  we  breakfasted  with  Canon  Audry,  a  thoroughly 
nice  fellow,  and  afterwards  he  went  over  the  Cathedral  with  us,  and  took 
us  to  see  St.  Mary's  hospital,  a  sort  of  home  for  poor  old  women.  It 
is  a  most  curious  place,  like  a  church  Avith  a  nave  and  chancel  thus, 
I  I  I  The  square  places  marked  off  in  the  nave  are  rooms,  each 


~j — j — j — • —      with    a    fireplace    and    bedroom    for    eight   old    people,    and 


the  chancel  is  a  chapel  where  they  have  prayers. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  27 

Leaving  Chichester  at  n  A.  M.  we  went  to  Winchester  where  we 
were  at  evening  service,  and  then  went  round  the  Cathedral.  It  is  500 
feet  long,  and  a  magnificient  building.  We  then  went  out  to  St.  Cross 
hospital  where  seventeen  poor  men  and  their  wives  live  in  snug  little 
houses  round  a  quadrangle. 

The  old  men  wear  a  long  black  gown  with  a  silver  cross  on  the  breast. 
It  dates  from  the  days  of  King  Stephen. 

Tuesday  igth.  We  went  to  Salisbury,  and  I  went  to  see  the  Bishop, 
who  is  very  old  and  infirm,  but  very  bright.  He  is  Dr.  Moberly,  and  I 
was  very  glad  to  see  him. 

The  Cathedral  is  to  my  mind  one  of  the  most  charming  in  England. 
Wednesday — the  20th — In  the  forenoon  Nichols  and  I  drove  out  to  Stone- 
henge  over  Salisbury  plain,  and  then  to  Bemerton  to  see  George  Her- 
bert's Church  and  rectory.  The  rector  was  very  kind  and  showed"  us  the 
house  and  garden.  In  the  latter  is  an  apple  tree  planted  by  George 
Herbert  himself.  I  enclose  five  leaves  from  it.  Keep  three  and  give 
Rebecca  one,  and  Townsend  one.  The  rector's  wife  is  cousin  to  the 
Scotch  Princes.  In  the  afternoon  at  his  request  I  took  over  the  clergy 
to  see  the  good  old  Bishop ;  and  we  were  shown  the  palace  and  grounds. 
I  have  seen  nothing  more  beautiful  anywhere. 

Thursday — 21  st.  To-day  we  came  to  Glastonbury  where  we  saw  the 
ruins  of  the  famous  old  Abbey,  and  then  came  on  to  Wells.  The  Bishop 
is  away  and  I  could  only  leave  a  card  for  him.  His  home  is  still  sur- 
rounded by  a  moat  full  of  water,  and  entered  by  a  draw-bridge  under  a 
portcullis. 

To-morrow  we  go  to  Bristol,  Gloucester  and  Worcester;  and  hope 
on  Saturday  to  go  by  Stratford  on  Avon  and  Warwick  to  Oxford  where 
we  shall  stay  a  few  days. 

Marvellous  weather !  Twenty-three  days  perfectly  clear,  and  with 
only  two  showers. 

Love  to   all   friends.       Take  good   care  of  yourself. 

Affec.  yrs., 
J.  W. 

All  are  and  have  been  perfectly  well. 

To  Dr.  T.  W.  Coit, 

Oxford,  August  24,   1884. 

From  this  old  seat  of  orthodoxy,  which  I  fear  is  to  be — if  it  is  not, 
a  home  of  unbelief,  I  send  you  a  word  of  acknowledgement  of  your 
letter.  We  have  now  been  in  England  twenty-seven  days  and  in  twenty- 
six  of  those  we  have  not  had  a  drop  of  rain,  and  it  has  been  about  as 
warm  as  we  get  it  in  America.  One  day  in  London  the  thermometer 
marked  ninety-two  in  the  shade. 

They  have  had  no  such  season  in  many  years.  The  nights,  however, 
are  very  cool  and  refreshing. 

We  have  made  good  use  of  our  time ;  have  seen  eleven  Cathedrals, 
counting  in  Westminster  Abbey ;  and  many  places  of  interest,  especially- 


28  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

Bishopsburne  where  Hooker  died,  and  Bemerton  where  George  Herbert 
lived  and  died.  Curiously  enough  I  found  the  same  Rector  at  Bemerton 
who  was  there  in  1840.  He  showed  us  an  apple  tree  in  the  garden  which 
Herbert  planted,  and  which  renews  itself  by  fresh  shoots  of  its  own  putting 
out  as  the  old  ones  die  down.  It  is  a  lovely  spot,  the  ideal  of  a  country 
parsonage. 

I  have  seen  the  Archbishop  at  Addington  at  lunch,  and  spent  several 
hours  with  him.  He  is  a  very  frank,  simple  and  kindly  man,  and  while 
he  sees  all  the  difficulties  ahead,  is  full  of  heart  and  courage.  He  said, 
when  people  croak  about  the  future  of  the  Church,  I  tell  them  to  look 
at  the  glass  in  the  windows  of  Lambeth  Chapel.  Originally  it  was  copied 
from  the  pictures  in  the  Biblia  Pauperam.  The  Protector  Somerset 
smashed  it.  Land  replaced  it,  copying  the  old  glass.  The  Puritans 
smashed  that.  It  has  been  renewed  again,  and  if  somebody  smashes  that, 
somebody  else  will  renew  it.  That  is  all  there  is  about  the  Church.  Win- 
chester I  missed,  but  he  writes  me  that  he  will  be  in  Scotland  and  urges 
me  to  go  home  with  him,  which  I  cannot  do.  I  have  also  seen  Litchfield, 
Chichester  and  Salisbury.  The  latter  is,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  very  infirm  and 
broken  up. 

It  would  cover  too  much  paper  to  tell  you  of  all  the  people  we  have 
seen.  I  am  sorry  to  miss  Foulkes  here,  but  he  is  off  on  his  vacation. 

We  intend  to  be  here  for  a  few  days,  and  then  we  go  to  Cambridge 
and  so  by  the  eastern  coast  to  Edinburgh,  where  I  am  due  for  the  first 
Sunday  in  September.  I  did  not  take  any  license,  or  whatever  it  is, 
for  England,  and  therefore  have  had  an  entire  rest.  But  it  will  be  more 
than  overbalanced,  I  fancy,  in  Scotland. 

Hoping  that  this  will  find  you  well,  as  also  all  the  rest,  and  with 
kind  regards  to  C.,  the  professors,  students,  and  all  friends,  I  am, 

Aff'y.  y'rs., 
J.  W. 

Went  to  St.  Mart's  this  morning.  No  University  sermon  now  in  vaca- 
tion !  No  service  as  of  old  in  vacation  in  the  Chapels !  Secularization  is 
the  order  of  the  day. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Edinboro',  September  6,   1884. 

We  reached  here  Thursday  P.  M.  (this  is  Saturday)  and  are  com- 
fortably settled  in  good  lodgings  near  the  Bishop's.  He  insisted  on  our 
all  of  us  coming  to  him  but  I  flatly  refused,  and  so  we  are  much  better 
off.  The  house  is  very  clean,  the  rooms  very  pleasant,  and  the  table 
very  good.  We  have  a  parlor  where  we  have  our  meals  by  ourselves, 
bedrooms  and  bath  room,  and  we  pay  for  this  about  two  dollars  a  day 
apiece.  This  is  certainly  cheap  living.  Our  good  weather  holds,  and  we 
have  had  only  two  rainy  days  since  I  wrote  from  Wells.  Our  last  point 
in  England  was  Durham,  and  I  enclose  a  little  photograph  of  the  Cathedral 
and  will  bring  a  larger  one. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  29 

Edinburgh  has  changed  a  good  deal  since  I  last  saw  it,  but  it  is  still 
the  same  unrivalled  city.  If  only  it  was  not  so  smoky  there  would  be 
nothing  like  it,  and  the  people  in  the  streets  look  bright  and  intelligent. 
They  look  more  like  those  one  sees  at  home. 

Yesterday  we  lunched  with  the  Bishop,  and  I  am  to  preach  for  him 
to-morrow  morning.  How  long  we  shall  stay  here  I  do  not  know,  but 
I  think  about  two  weeks.  By  that  time  the  rush  of  tourists  will  be  over 
and  the  roads  open. 

I  trust  this  will  find  you  well.  We  are  all  as  well  as  well  can  be.  Love 
to  all  friends. 

Affy.  yrs., 

J.  Williams. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  T.  Russell, 

Edinboro,    September    6,    1884. 

I  promised  the  "Daisies"  to  bring  back,  or  send  back,  some  memorial  of 
Margaret  of  Scotland. 

I  am  hoping  to  go  to  Dunfumline,  but  am  not  quite  sure  of  it.  And, 
at  any  rate,  they  have  or  had  such  an  extraordinary  way  of  moving  about 
the  mortal  remains  of  saints,  that  one  never  feels  quite  suie  of  anything 
in  regard  to  them. 

Edinboro  Castle  is,  however,  most  intimately  connected  with  the 
memory  of  Queen  Margaret.  She  often  lived  in  it  and  in  a  tower  of  it 
long  since  destroyed.  She  died  on  the  loth  of  June  1093,  immediately 
on  receiving  the  news  of  the  dreadful  murder — for  it  was  a  base  murder — 
of  her  husband  and  one  of  her  sons.  Nothing,  however,  connected  with 
her  domestic  life  in  the  castle  now  remains. 

But  on  the  very  summit  of  the  rock  on  which  the  castle  stands,  and 
within  the  citadel,  she  built  a  little  oratory  ,or  chapel,  25  feet  long  by 
10  wide.  This  still  remains  entire,  just  as  she  left  it,  except  that  stained 
glass  has  been  lately  placed  in  its  four  little  windows.  It  was  used,  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  for  a  powder  magazine  and  a  store  for  many  years ;  but 
i&  now  cleaned  out,  and  though  not  used  for  its  proper  purposes,  is,  still, 
no  longer  so  shamefully  desecrated. 

It  is  a  Norman  building,  which,  small  as  it  is,  has  still  a  semi-circular 
chancel  and  a  nave. 

These  are  separated  by  a  Norman  archway,  which  as  well  as  the 
entrance  -door  has  zig-zag  mouldings  around  it. 

This  arch  is  given  in  the  enclosed  photograph,  the  only  one  I  could 
get,  for  there  is  none  of  the  outside  of  the  Chapel. 

The  East  window  of  the  little  chancel,  which  you  see,  has  three  com- 
partments:  (i)  St.  Margaret  founding  the  Chapel,  (2)  her  ministrations  to 
the  poor;  (3)  her  death. 

The  other  side  window  which  you  see,  has  a  full  length  of  the  queen. 
In  the  nave,  on  the  same  side,  are  two  windows  in  one  of  which  is  her 
husband — Malcom  Cameron,  and  in  the  other,  her  son,  David,  founder  of 


30  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

Holyrood  and  other  Abbeys,  of  whom  King  James   said — ''He  was  a  sair 
saint  for  the  craun". 

The  Chapel  was  repaired,  and  the  glass  put  in  in  1853. 

We  have  been  wonderfully  favored  all  along.  I  expect  to  be  called 
a  humbug  to  the  end  of  my  days  for  not  having  one  moment  of  seasickness ; 
and  the  weather  has  been  charming. 

We  are  here  for  several  days,  and  then  hope  to  get  a  tour  in  the 
Highlands  before  we  go  to  Aberdeen. 

And  then,  I  shall  say  "Westward  Ho!"  The  best  day  of  the  journey 
will  be  that  in  which  I  see  my  diocese  again. 

Give  much  love  to  Mary  and  the  household,  and  especially  to  them  at 
Mr.  Kingsbury's.  Tell  Edith  her  gift  never  leaves  me,  and  doesn't  end  in 
smoke  either. 

Ever  aff'  y'rs., 

J.   Williams. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Edinburgh,  September  14,  1884. 

We  are  still  here  and  shall  be  till  the  morning  of  the  i8th  when  we 
hope  to  be  off  for  the  Highlands. 

It  has  been  very  pleasant  here,  and  the  good  people  have  been  most 
hospitable  and  kind.  Indeed  nothing  could  exceed  their  kindness. 

Yesterday  we  went  with  Bishop  Doane  and  his  wife,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Eliot  to  Melrose,  Abbotsford,  and  Dryburgh. 

We  left  Edinboro  enveloped  in  a  dense  fog,  but  at  Melrose  it  was 
clear  and  bright  like  one  of  our  own  best  bright  Autumnal  days. 

There  has  been  great  improvement  in  keeping  up  the  grounds  at  each 
of  the  Abbeys  since  I  saw  them,  and  they  are  in  a  less  ruinous  state. 
But  the  beauty  of  ruin  and  surroundings  is  unchanged.  I  enclose  a 
little  blue  flower  from  Sir  Walter  Scott's  grave,  or  as  near  it  as  anything 
grows ;  and  a  little  heather  which  lay  beside  my  plate  at  a  dinner  party 
the  other  evening.  I  saw  there  a  canteen  belonging  to  "Prince  Charlie." 

I  am  preaching  twice  to-day,  and  preached  once  last  Sunday.  But 
have  had  on  the  whole  a  good  rest.  The  weather  here  is  abominable ; 
Imt  it  is  clear  I  am  told,  outside  "Auld  Reekie."  I  will  write  again  next 
Saturday  from  the  Highlands.  If  Rebecca  is  with  you,  thank  her  for 
her  letter,  and  Townsend  for  his.  Much  love  to  all. 

Aff'.  yrs,.. 

J.  W. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Oban — In  the  Highlands, 

September  21,   1884 

We  are  high  up  here  in  the  land  of  mist,  which  mist  to-day  is  what 
the  Scotch  call  "an  even  downpour."  But  we  have  had  three  delicious  days 
since  we  left  Edinboro'  on  Thursday  i8th,  I  will  write  you  about  two 
•of  them,  and  Dr.  Coit  about  the  third. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  31 

From  Edinboro  we  went  by  rail  to  the  foot  of  Loch  Lomond  and 
then  took  steamer  for  Inversnaid.  It  was  a  glorious  day  and  the  moun- 
tains were  superb.  From  Inversnaid  we  went  by  coach  to  Loch  Lomond, 
and  thence  by  steamer  again  to  Trosachs. 

When  I  went  before  it  was  by  a  boat  rowed  by  Highlanders.  The 
steamer  went  quicker  but  the  boat  was  better.  However,  Ben-Venue 
and  Ben-Aun,  were  at  their  best  and  we  walked  up  a  mile  thro'  the  Tro- 
sachs to  the  Hotel.  Our  party  had  swelled  to  eight.  Bishop  Doane 
and  his  wife  and  two  young  graduates  of  Trinity  being  with  us. 

You  will  find  what  we  saw  on  Loch  Katrine  described  as  no  where 
'else  in  the  beginning  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

On  Friday — 2Qth,  we  came  by  coach  to  Callendar,  and  thence  by  a 
new  railway  route  thro*  some  of  the  finest  scenery  of  the  Highlands  to 
Oban.  There  is  no  describing  it !  We  stopped  off  over  a  train  at  Loch- 
Ane  and  went  down  that  lake  and  back;  seeing  on  the  banks  among 
other  things  "Inversane"  which  once  belonged  to  the  Duncan  Campbell 
of  Dean  Stanley's  Ghost  story.  After  leaving  Loch  Ane  we  went  thro' 
the  pass  of  Bronder,  the  wildest  Highland  Glen  I  ever  saw,  and  reached 
here  all  well  at  six  P.  M. 

Yesterday  we  went  to  lona  of  which  I  will  write  to  Dr.  Coit,  and  I 
saw  Staffa,  and  sailed  all  around  the  Isle  of  Mull  seeing  on  all  hands 
the  scenery  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  It  was  a  day  of  cloud  and  sun- 
shine, just  what  one  wanted  for  the  best  effects  on  mountains  and  on 
water. 

To-morrow  we  hope  to  start  on  our  way  up  the  Caledonia  Canal  mak- 
ing a  three  days  journey  of  it  to  Inverness,  and  reaching  there  on  Wednes- 
day night.  I  will  write  from  there  to  some  one. 

Will  you  thank  Dr.  C.  and  Mrs.  T.  for  their  letters  tho'  I  can  thank 
the  Dr.  myself.  My  love  to  Rebecca,  if  she  is,  as  I  hope  in  Middletown, 
and  to  all  friends. 

Aff'.  y'rs., 

J.  Williams. 

To  Dr.  T.  W.  Coit, 

Oban  in  the  Highlands,  September  21,  1884- 

I  got  your  letter  yesterday,  and  thank  you  for  it.  Miss  Tibbs  will 
tell  you  how  we  got  here  from  Edinburgh  which  we  left  on  Thursday — 
the  i8th.  But  I  am  going  to  write  you  in  detail  of  our  visit  yesterday  to 
lona. 

Leaving  here  at  eight  A.  M.  and  coasting  along  the  southern  shore  of 
Mull,  we  sighted  the  venerable  cathedral  about  eleven,  and  were  soon  on 
shore,  not  without  a  thrill  at  the  thought  that  we  have  really  set  foot  on 
v.hat  Dr.  Johnson  so  soundingly  discoursed  about. 

Two  things  rather  bring  one  down  on  landing — First  you  see  two  pal- 
try looking  buildings  and  are  told  that  one  is  the  "Kirk",  and  the  other  the 
"Free  Church,, :  rather  a  liberal  allowance  of  Presbyterianism  to  240  souls, 


32  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

big  and  little,  the  entire  population  of  the  Island.  Secondly,  you  are  be- 
set with  a  host  of  little  ragged  children — whose  appearance  indicates  the 
poverty  of  the  people,  selling  or  trying  to  sell,  shells  and  the  "green  stones" 
of  lona.  The  popular  superstition  is  that  who  ever  carries  one  of  those 
will  never  be  drowned  or  burned. 

The  first  place  visited  is  the  old  nunnery — built  long,  long  after  Saint 
Columba's  days,  of  which  little  or  nothing  remains,  and  then  one  enters 
on  the  "street  of  the  dead,"  so  called  because  along  it  were  carried  the 
corpses  of  the  forty  Scottish  Kings — as  well  as  others,  brought  here  for 
burial  in  the  Holy  Isle. 

Passing  along,  we  soon  reached  an  old  Runic  Cross,  some  ten  feet 
high,  called  McLean's  Cross.  It  was  here  that  according  to  the  legend  St. 
Columba  sat  when  he  was  dying,  and  the  old  white  horse  laid  his  head 
on  his  master's  shoulder  and  wept.  There  were  once  360  of  these  beauti- 
ful crosses  in  the  Island. 

The  Presbytery  of  Argyle  ordered  forty  of  them  to  be  flung  into  the 
sea !  And  all  that  now  remain  are  this  one,  and  St.  Martin's  Cross  in  the 
Cathedral  yard.  Not  far  from  McLean's  Cross,  the  McLeans — the  "Lords 
of  the  Isles,"  were  buried.  Some  of  their  tombstones  remain. 

Passing  on  we.  reach  St.  Orean's  Chapel,  built  by  Margaret  Queen  of 
Scotland,  who  died  in  903.  This  is  the  oldest  ruin  on  the  island.  It  is 
very  small — 40  x  20.  Near  it  is  the  "Reilag  Oran,"  the  Burial  ground  of 
St.  Oran,  and  here  lie  Kings,  princes,  nobles  and  ecclesiastics. 

Then  we  reach  the  Cathedral  far  later  than  Columba  or  Oran.  Tho 
the  original  burial  place  of  Columba  is  known  and  was  at  the  west  door 
of  the  Cathedral,  like  most  of  the  mortal  remains  of  the  saints  his  own 
were  carried  about  from  place  to  place,  and  if  they  are  anywhere  together 
it  is  in  Ireland. 

The  Cathedral  is  a  ruin,  thanks  to  John  Knox  and  his  crew.  His 
"godly  followers  and  others  of  "that  ilk",  tore  it  down  and  dug  the  silver 
and  brass  out  of  monuments.  The  "godly"  always  had  a  shrewd  eye 
to  the  main  chance. 

Half  the  houses  on  the  island  are  built  of  the  stones  of  the  Cathedral 
and  the  nunnery. 

We  stood  by  the  high  altar,  or  rather  where  it  once  stood,  and  said 
the  Nicene  Creed.  The  Duke  of  Argyle,  who  owns  the  island — was  not 
there  to  object.  It  was  a  comfort  to  remember  that  Columba  said  the 
same ;  no  less  and  no  more. 

Then  we  climbed  the  "Tor  Abb"  the  knoll  from  which  Columba  uttered 
his  famous  prophecy:  "Unto  this  place,  albeit  so  small  and  poor,  great 
homage  shall  yet  be  paid,  not  only  by  the  kings  and  people  of  the  Scots, 
but  by  the  rulers  of  barbarous  and  distant  nations,  with  their  people  also. 
In  great  veneration,  too,  shall  it  be  held  by  the  holy  men  of  other  Churches". 

Our  time  was  up,  and  we  turned  unwillingly  away,  feeling  that  we  had 
seen  what  to  us  almost  stands  next  to  Jerusalem  itself.  It  had  been  a 
dream  of  my  life  to  see  lona.  I  thank  God  that  I  have  seen  it. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  33 

Old  Johnson  was  right,  a  man  ought  to  be  a  better  man  after  treading 
the  soil  of  lona. 

We  are  wending  our  way  now  to  Inverness,  where  D.  V.  I  am  to 
preach  on  the  28th.  I  am  enough  of  a  Jacobite  to  try  to  see  on  the  way  the 
old  Highland  Congregation  at  Ballachulisch  which  has  stuck  to  the  Church 
from  1688,  and  the  place  where  "Prince  Charlie"  set  up  his  standard  in  1745. 

All  are  well.  Bishop  and  Mrs.  Doane  are  with  us  and  all  send  greet- 
ings to  you. 

Mine'  to   C, 

Ever  aff'y  y'rs., 

J.  W. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Dundee,  October  2,   1884. 

My  letters  to  Dr.  Coit  and  John  Townsend,  which  they  have  read  to 
you,  bring  me  to  Inverness,  which  I  reached  on  Wednesday  evening,  Sept. 
24th. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Nichols  and  I  went  to  Eden  Court  where  the  Primus 
lives,  a  beautiful  house  near  the  Cathedral.  I  found  him  bright  and  cheer- 
ful, but  with  the  loss  of  all  use  of  right  leg  and  arm.  I  went  on  Thurs- 
day to  Culloden  Moor  and  saw  the  last  battlefield  of  Prince  Charlie.  Then 
we  stopped  at  Culloden  House  and  saw  the  bed  in  which  the  Prince  slept 
the  night  before  the  battle,  his  walking  stick  and  various  other  things. 
Bishop  and  Mrs.  Doane  were  with  me,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs-  Forbes  who  now 
own  the  large  and  beautiful  house  were  very  kind  and  asked  us  to  luncheon, 
for  which  we  could  not  stay. 

We  saw  a  good  many  of  the  people  who  were  cordial  at  Inverness 
I  preached  in  the  Cathedral  and,  tell  Dr.  Coit,  administered  by  the  Scot- 
tish Communion  office,  on  Sunday,  and  preached  at  a  Church  in  Inverness 
in  the  evening. 

On  Monday  2Qth,  after  a  delightful  visit  we  left  and  went  to  Elgin 
to  see  the  ruins  of  the  Cathedral  which  are  very  fine,  and  then  went  on  to 
Aberdeen. 

There  I  saw  the  Bishop  and  some  of  the  Clergy,  and  then  we  went  by 
rail  to  Ballater.  and  from  thence  drove  to  Braemar,  passing  Abergeldie  the 
Prince  of  Wales'  shooting  box,  and  Balmoral  with  the  royal  standard  fly- 
ing from  one  of  its  towers.  We  had  a  good  view  of  each. 

The  scenery  was  fine,  but  it  was   dreadfully  cold. 

To-day  we  left  Braemer  and  drove  thro  the  wildest  and  most  magni- 
ficient  scenery — except  Glencoe — that  I  have  seen,  to  Blair — Gowrie  and 
thence  came  by  rail  here. 

To-morrw  we  go  to  Arhroath — St.  Ruth's  Priory  of  the  Antiquary  and  to 
St.  Andrews — the  next  to  Glammis  Castle  and  back  to  Aberdeen. 

There  we  shall  stay  till  we  set  our  faces  towards  home,  which  I  shall 
be  too  glad  to  do. 

AfF  y'rs..y 

J.  W. 


34  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 

The  heather  is  from  Culloden  Moor,  and  the  leaf  from  Culloden  House. 
All  are  perfectly  well.  I  will  send  a  daily  paper  from  Aberdeen. 

To  Rev.  John  Townsend, 

Eden  Court,  Inverness,  September  26,  1884. 

As  you  will  see  by  the  date  I  have  reached  my  northermost  point. 
Bishop  and  Mrs.  Doane  met  us  in  Edinburgh,  and  with  them  and  two  young 
Trinity  graduates  we  set  off  for  a  Highland  tour. 

I  wrote  to  Miss  Tibbs  an  account  of  that  till  we  reached  Oban,  and  to 
Dr.  Coit  of  our  visit  to  lona.  So  I  will  leave  that  to  him  to  tell  you,  and 
go  on  to  something  else  which  delighted  me  very  much,  a  visit  to  Ballachu- 
lish  (pronounced  Ballaheo-  lish). 

This,  as  you  know,  perhaps,  was  the  only  place  in  all  the  Western  High- 
lands where  the  people  remained  as  a  body,  Churchmen !  Here  they  did, 
and  I  determined  before  I  left  to  go  and  see  place  and  people. 

Our  way  (on  Mon.  Sept.  22)  lay  through  Loch  Etive  and  Glencoe.  It 
was  a  day  of  heavy  showers  and  bursts  of  sunlight,  stormy  sunshine,  and 
the  very  day  for  Glencoe  with  its  savage  natural  features  and  its  more 
savage  history.  Wre  reached  Ballachulish  well  damped  and  well  tired  at 
night,  but  none  the  worse  for  it. 

The  next  morning,  taking  Nichols  with  me,  I  sallied  forth  and  after  a 
walk  of  a  mile,  reached  the  church  just  as  service  was  beginning.  After 
service  I  sent  my  card  to  the  Rector,  or  Incumbent,  as  they  say  here,  who 
gave  us  a  very  cordial  welcome  and  was  a  good  deal  surprised  when  I  told 
him  of  my  wish  to  see  the  old  parish.  Well  he  took  us  into  the  vestry 
room  and  showed  us  the  old  paten  and  chalice  from  which  the  "men  of 
Appen"  received  the  Holy  Communion  just  before  they  went  to  join  Prince 
Charlie  at  Culloden.  Then  he  took  me  to  see  some  of  the  very  old  peo- 
ple who  had  known  those  who  had  suffered  from  the  penal  laws  against 
Churchmen.  They  are  all  poor  people,  and  as  the  younger  men  were 
away  at  their  work  I  did  not  see  them.  The  old  people  were  overjoyed 
at  the  thought  that  a  bishop  had  come  3,000  miles  to  see  them.  They  knew 
about  Seabury,  and  had  prayers  in  the  Church  for  me  the  Sunday  after 
we  sailed.  It  was  most  touching  to  hear  them  speak  so  earnestly  of  their 
love  for  the  Church.  And  really  this  was  a  thing  never  to  be  forgotten. 

Walking  back  to  the  hotel,  the  Incumbent  pointed  out  to  me  a  hol- 
low on  the  mountain  side  where  in  the  times  of  the  presecution  they 
used  to  gather  for  service.  The  clergyman  had  to  come  disguised  as  a 
sportsman  out  shooting,  and  a  sentinel  was  stationed  on  a  high  crag  to 
give  warning  in  case  the  Hanoverian  soldiers  came  upon  them.  As  we 
were  looking  at  this  spot  a  shower  passed  across  the  mountain  and  "the 
bow  of  God"  spanned  the  place  where  the  faithful  once  met  to  pray. 

From  Ballachulish  we  came  by  the  Caledonian  Canal  to  this  place, 
where  Nichols  and  I  are  with  the  Primus-  Doane  and  his  wife  have  gone 
South  again  and  we  shall  go  on  Monday  to  Aberdeen,  not  to  stay  but  to 
leave  luggage,  etc. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS  35 

All  are  well.  Will  you  let  Miss  Tibbs  know  of  this  letter  as  I 
have  no  time  to  write  more.  Love  to  all. 

Affy.  yrs., 

J.  W. 

To  Miss  Tibbs, 

Aberdeen,  Sat.,  Oct.  n, 

One  line  to  say  that  we  leave  Aberdeen  to-day,  after  such  a  visit  and 
time  as  no  words  can  describe.  , 

I  hope  we  shall  be  at  N.  Y.  by  Sat.,  Oct.  25th,  but  I  shall  be  detained 
there  at  least  a  day  by  business  at  the  Custom  House  and  with  Mr. 
Morgan.  Love  to  all. 

Aff  y'rs., 

J.  W. 

"Aberdeen,  Oct.  8. — The  sermon  by  the  Bishop  of  Conn.,  on  the  occa-" 
"sion  of  the  opening  of  the  Seabury  centenary  in  this  city  yesterday  was" 
"delivered  in  St.  Andrew's  Church.  In  the  course  of  the  sermon  he" 
"referred  to  the  marvellous  growth  and  awakened  life  of  the  Church" 
''during  the  past  century." 


36  REMINISCENCES  OF  BISHOP  WILLIAMS 


YE    RHIME   OF   YE    ANCIENT    CHURCHMAN. 


We  should  not  have  been   so   foolish 

As   to   go   to    Ballachulish 

On  a  day  when  ne'er  a  native 

Would  have  ventured  on  Loch  Etive. 

But   we   all   were   somewhat   mulish, 

And   would   go   to    Ballachulish 

Though  the  clouds   looked   most  appaling 

And  the  mountain  dew  was  falling 

And   the   glass   of    the    Professor 

Should   have   cautioned   its   possessor, 

Our  beloved  Itinerarius, 

Of  the  dangers  multifarius, 

But  Lord  John  he  said  "What  think  you 

Shall  we  try  the   Pass   of   Glencoe? 

When   so  near,   't  would  be   most   foolish 

Not  to  visit  Ballachulish. 

There   we'll    find    Ye    Ancient   Churchman." 

We'll  not  leave  you  in  the  lurch,  man, 

We  all  said,   and  so  we   started 

Every  one  a  bit  half  hearted  ; 

And  it  grew  more  dark  and   damp 

As  we  neared  the  Pass  of  Glencoe, 

Still  we  kept  up  brave  and  frisky 

Wet  ourselves  inside  with  whiskey, 

Took  the  water   all   external 

From  the  soaking  and  supernal 

Supernatural    descending 

Of  Scotish  mists  and  showers  blending 

All    their    wondrous    wetting    powers 

Through   the   long   and   chilly   hours 

That   we   spent  upon   the  coaches 

Through  the  pass  between  "the  loches," 

Till,   soaked  through   and   slightly  coolish 

We   arrived   at   Ballachulish 

But  as   Virgil's   hero   habit 

Memimisse    haec   juvavit. 


September   22nd,    1884. 

Through  Loch  Etive,  Glen  Etive  and  Glencoe  to  Ballachulish.  What 
a  day !  rain  and  sunshine  and  such  history.  The  greatest  blot  on  the 
not  unblotted  history  of  Dutch  William." 

From  Bishop  Williams'  Journal. 


A     000104839     6 


